Is this a cruel April 1st joke ? I first started writing about this subject back in October last year when the pensions minister Steve Webb anounced a headline grabbing huge 40%rise in the state pension. More recently on the 2nd March I blogged again on the topic when the Secretary of State – Ian Duncan Smith – championed the radical change he was hoping to make by simplyfying and increasing the state pension.
As always the devil is in the detail —- it does not apply to existing pensioners —- and it does not come into effect until 2016. Conveniently after the next election, and we all know that politicians promises are always kept after elections !
Today the headlines have been grabbed yet again. This time the figure has gone up to £155 per week — even before anyone has received it. Of course at the same time the state pension age is also set to increase.
So with a careful bit of clever synchronising the Politicians will be able to announce new pension rises every year, without ever needing to give anyone any extra money. In 2047 if I live long enough, I will be 100 years old and by then the state pension will probably have reached well over £1,000 a week. The problem will be that the qualyifing age will no doubt be 101 😦
GOOD NEWS TO ANNOUNCE ON APRIL 1st
GrumbleSmiles 
Just when I am coming to terms with the idea of becoming a pensioner, I now find I will be short changed for the rest of my hard earned retirement. How can it be right that someone who retires several years after me but has a lot less contribution years, ends up with a bigger state pension ?
What happened to all the talk about equality ? And how does age discrimination square with the idea that older pensioners will get less money than younger ones ?
Cuckcoo, Cuckcoo, Have you heard one yet???