THE reported £21,000 per annum median disposable income for pensioners (“Incomes soar for pensioner”, The Herald, October 29 must raise eyebrows. Quoting whole-population figures like this conceals the fact that too many old folk just have far less than the quoted median of disposable income of £21,108 to exist on, and need support.
It would be more informative to know the number of pensioners in individual income bands in, say, steps of £1,500. The state pension alone is still only some £6,000 a year at maximum. Occupational pensions and personal savings make up the difference, but what is the weighting from the fat cats' pots?
The switch away from Retail Price Index to Consumer Price indexing will more and more hit the state pension relative to average earnings from those in employment, and occupational pensions are being targeted too. Given that too many hard-working folk get paid poorly, and can save only a little to top up the state pension, their eventual retirement looks a bit bleaker. The current low interest rates help no-one as well, saving in government bonds might even get a negative return (that is, you pay them to hold your dough).
Can the UK ramp up its state pension to more than the planned £8,000 a year? Could our Holyrood maestros do better with full fiscal autonomy, given the on-going fiscal deficit and need to service the accumulated £multi-billions debt?
Joe Darby,
Glenburn, St Martins Mill, Cullicudden, Dingwall.
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