Simple, effective & never going to happen.
First things first –

Pensions – these were introduced in the welfare state for people who reached age 65. When they were introduced, the average life expectancy was 63. It was introduced to cater for those who were genuinely considered old to help them cope with the cost of living when they were genuinely too old to continue working. 65 nowadays is nothing. Many 65 year olds are healthy, active and more than able to support themselves, however thanks to the modern interpretation of the welfare state they feel entitled to retire age 65 and leave the younger generations to pay for them – unless we have hyper-inflation (at which point they complain that their pension doesn’t cover enough) or an exponentially fast-growing population, it simply cannot be afforded.

Change one – pensionable age to raise, immediately, to 77 and thereafter to stay two years ahead of the average life expectancy.

This leads me on to my second point. That sense of entitlement. I have five kids, therefore I want the government to pay for me and them. No – you have five kids because you knew the government would pay for them. I am unemployed, therefore I want the government to pay for me. No – you are unemployed because you know the government will pay for you (yes – I know that this part may be a slight over-simplification, but you get the idea). I want a sex-change/breast-enhancement/cosmetic surgery, therefore I want the government to pay for me ad infinitum.

Change two – benefits system to be summarily scrapped and replaced with the smallest possible system to support those who genuinely need it.

My biggest issue with the running of the world as it stands is that democracy as we understand it simply does not work. It makes far more sense for those in power to simply give the people what they want – a huge benefits system, lower taxes, low regulation for big business et al. If they keep the population sweet (i.e. if they bribe the populace) then they are more likely to stay in power, therefore keep their grace & favour apartment, huge expense account, payroll for their friends & family etc. Politics is not there to give the people what they want - politicians supposedly the best people to make decisions that the majority of people will not understand (as it's their full-time job to review these decisions to the minutest detail), even if they don't agree with them, for the long-term benefit of the country.

Change three – reset the political system. Limit the possible term in government for any individual to ten years and make it a civic duty. Elect people at the top of each industry to take a sector forward. A nurse who has worked for thirty years in the NHS, implicitly understands what her colleagues need and want? Perfect candidate for a senior role in health. A headmaster who has turned around a flagging school, raised standards and grades across the board? Minister for Education.

Unfortunately, as ever, the people who are in a position to make any changes stand to lose the most if changes are brought in, so fat chance of any of this lot ever happening...
( Hunter Stockton was murdered by a bicycle wielding axolotl,.,.,.,., Tue 27 Sep 2011, 10:23, 5 replies)

You missed a bit
retirement age also affects the job market.

If I work till I'm 77, some 18 year old has to wait till he's 30 to take over my job (simplified). During that time, he's not paying the NI and tax that I'm paying.

Net gain = zero.

What you're saying is we all have to work till we die.
(username failed moderation, Tue 27 Sep 2011, 10:29, closed)

Wait?
You're suggesting that absolute power corrupts absolutely?
(Misery McUglywife an attention seeking sociopathic fuckstain., Tue 27 Sep 2011, 10:36, closed)

Another candidate for the H. L. Mencken award

( Ring Of Fire A petty, drooling belming butthurt retard., Tue 27 Sep 2011, 11:45, closed)

On retiring
Plus while many people are helatlhy at 65 they may not be at 77, meaing those 12 years of extra work will be offset by more "occasional" sick days-Projects and jobs take longer to complete becase a member of the team of off sick today.
More long term sick employees, recurrent health problems caused by age, Heart, Arthritis, Back, Mobility problems putting a extra strain on the NHS and sick/incapacity payments.
The slowing down of the job/training/promotions ladder due to it being top heavy of older employees.
When this country was a manufactuing country, then there was a element of natural selction as people got older, There were mining accidents, accidents in the workplace and factory floor and as was often the case people dropped dead at 67 because their lungs were full of abestos/coal dust/dyes. That side of industy has all but dissapeared now. We are country whos biggest industry is infastructure. That needs to be adressed. We can't compete as a manufacturing country anymore, but maybe we should promote our sciences and cutting edge technoighy more, both as a profitable enterprise and as a means of empolyment.
(Gru being trolled since 1998, Tue 27 Sep 2011, 14:44, closed)

Oh the old sense of entitlement.
The usual bollocks spouted by those who've never seen something from another's point of view, just reiterating something they're read in the papers. It's funny how this attack on entitlement only seems to apply to those at the bottom of society.
You pay taxes on any benefit you receive, so by claiming benefit you are paying back into society.

Also does the raising of the pension age only apply to those who work in less strenuous jobs, like office work, or banking, or does it apply to those slogging their guts out work a manually strenuous job, like labourer, or miner.

I'm surprised you didn't shoehorn in the whole gold plated public service pensions, the old, why should they receive a good pension after their years working jobs which can be very strenuous or stressful.
( Wildheart Baby. Drunken Mess In A Good Way, Tue 27 Sep 2011, 18:56, closed)