Elderly should do community work or lose pension, peer says

Older people should lose their pensions if they refuse to do community work to stop them being a “negative burden on society", a former senior Whitehall official has suggested.

Lord Bichard said the elderly are a "negative burden on society" Photo: Alam




Lord Bichard, an ex-chief of the Benefits Agency, said the elderly should get rewards and fines to make sure they are taking a more active part in the world.

The crossbench peer, who also chaired an inquiry into the murder of two Soham school girls, suggested the same tough attitude towards benefit scroungers should be taken with older people.

“Older people who are not very old could be making a very useful contribution to civil society if they were given some incentive or recognition for doing so,” he told a committee of MPs.

“We’re prepared to say to people if you’re not looking for work, you don’t get a benefit. If you’re old and you’re not contributing in some way, maybe there should be some penalty attached to that.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/po...WgjokyBJydx4kmcJXSEGoX92fIczRLlkcuDg_j7f9lOs8

Bichard is a buffoon. I would not be at all surprised to discover that he had some part to play in the long-running scandal surrounding the assessment interviews claimants often have to endure with the result that even corpses are declared fit for work (okay a tad hyperbolic but you get the point).

To think I have paid no taxes to help support these imbeciles for many years fills me with glee and an
almost an un explainable joy .
For those of you that are still forced to,you have my deepest and most sincere sympathies.

This is a 2012 story!!!!!!!!!!!

Thats F.B for you and at least it`s not fake news!! lol

its probably took him this long to pass the hedgehog.

I just broke the world belly laughing championship record...Yes it still hurts.

2012 or not.

Has he tried getting a 'proper' job in non-ageist Britain (lawyers and politicians excepted, of course) ?

...And as for getting into a disco...

I think that more options should be there for the retired to do things but it should always be voluntary. Its usually someone who has had their asses wiped for them all their life who does not realise what is required to facilitate this for people who may have some frailties. When my dad was alive and went on a SAGA cruise, the doctor told him ( after an angina attack ) that they have more "cold storage" on Saga cruises.

My good Lord can go forth and multiply, (not literally one of him is more than enough) He is yet another so called peer that doesnt live in the real world, but no doubts he claims his allowances £350 per day ? for attending the big house. People that paid there dues under the rules that existed at that time are entitled to what they paid for, end of, I myself now have two jobs, and if things go according to plan its my intention to carry on working for at least another 15 months or so, but if others wish to spend there retirement in a leisurely way then they are entitled to do so.
Its bugger all to do with anyone how one spends there hard earned retirement, how about the good lord finds ways to get the Benefit scroungers into some form of work..

I am 79. I retired from the police in U.K. when I was 48 and came to live in spain. For over 20 years I have been a volunteer translator with the police in spain. I see no reason why I should do my bit for free to help other.

PS. The job I do would not be done if I did not do it for free , as the police would not pay someone, provide a job if I was not there, so I am not taking a job from someone who needs it !

i think something has been lost in translation.

I see what I do as making a contribution to the society in which I have chosen to live. If I had remained in U.K. I would have done something similar

I do not believe that having two pensions, which I paid for, would be an augment for me to not volunteer as I do. But then having worked 30 years giving service to the public maybe I view things differently from some others.

I see pension rights in the UK being purposely eroded, just as they are in Australia for those wishing to retire abroad.
It`s disgraceful how Aussie pensioners living here are being treated by their government back home.

Is this how we would have liked to have seen our parents treated, after they'd paid probably a third of their salary into a 'trusted' government scheme for 50 years ?