Immigration – the politicians’ dirty little secret
Wading through the new Office for Budget Responsibility’s analysis of the state of the British economy, it’s obvious that the ageing population will be a significant factor when it comes to restoring growth (or not). The pre-budget forecast highlights real dangers of a slowdown caused by fewer people working and higher demands on pensions and [...]
The Selfish Generation
David Willetts’ book is subtitled, ‘How the baby boomers took their children’s future – and why they should give it back.’ This seems to imply a malign intention on the part of the post-war generation and, sure enough, at points in the book, Willetts talks of the ‘ultra-individualism unleashed’ by this generation, whose failure to [...]
What will the coalition do for us?
The policy agreement from the new British coalition government is a seven-page summary, put together under 11 headings, in private and under pressure. Inevitably, it’s a bit thin in places – often more a statement of shared principles than specific intentions. So what does it mean for older people? And what can we infer from [...]
Will the old derail China’s growth?
Two-thirds of Chinese can currently look forward to a destitute old age. China faces the prospect of tens of millions of low-wage workers maturing into indigent urban elders between 2020 and 2030, with untold social and political consequences. A new report from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, The Graying Of The Middle Kingdom [...]
Pension? what pension?
By Geraldine Bedell on 16 June, 2010
Yesterday I went to see Steve Webb, the new pensions minister, speak at a debate sponsored by the International Longevity Centre (ILC). With some trepidation, because I find pensions terrifying. I know I don’t have enough of one, and I don’t understand them. The debate was quite consoling, because it was clear, firstly, that pensions [...]
Posted in Blog, Commentary, Money, News, Politics, Work | Tagged Baroness Patricia Hollis, Chris Curry, coalition document, default retirement age, equity release, inequality, Institute for Fiscal Studies, International Longevity Centre, Lawrence Churchill, long-term care, national insurance, NEST, pensions, Pensions Policy Institute, pensions tax relief, state pension, Steve Webb | 2 Responses