Peer Lord Bichard sparks anger by suggesting OAPs could work in return for pension

10:43am Thursday 25th October 2012 in News

Should OAPs do community work in return for their pension? Should OAPs do community work in return for their pension?

A Southampton peer has sparked anger by suggesting retired people do community work in return for their pensions.

Lord Bichard, who was educated at King Edward VI Grammar School in Southampton, said "imaginative" ideas were needed to avoid older people becoming "a burden on the state".

During a meeting of a committee investigating the impact of the ageing society, he said: "Are there ways in which we could use incentives to encourage older people, if not to be in full time work, to be making a contribution?

"It is quite possible, for example, to envisage a world where civil society is making a greater contribution to the care of the very old, and older people who are not very old could be making a useful contribution to civil society in that respect, if they were given some incentive or some recognition for doing so."

He added: "Are we using all of the incentives at our disposal to encourage older people not just to be a negative burden on the state but actually be a positive part of society?"

Comments(45)

Subject48 says...
10:48am Thu 25 Oct 12

So long as HE does some community service when HE retires the idea is sound.

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southy says...
11:02am Thu 25 Oct 12

Lord Bichard sparks is a burden on the state, worse still he a parasite on the state.

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ToastyTea says...
11:05am Thu 25 Oct 12

yeh **** freeloaders, get em scrubbing graffiti off and picking up litter etc. *raises eyes*

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peenut81 says...
11:06am Thu 25 Oct 12

The nerve of anyone who has been knighted to suggest someone else is a negative burden on society is unbelievable.
The current establishment is so out of touch it is beyond satire.
Pensions are not a 'reward' for being old they are a return on money invested during your working life,the fact that govt. after govt has wasted the opportunities pension wealth offered is the fault of men like Bichard.

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stizy says...
11:06am Thu 25 Oct 12

I think people of working age who are receiving benefits should be doing some form of work whether voluntary or community based. Would give them great CV possibilities for their future potential employment. Benefits have increased and been handed out for far too long to working age people for nothing. Pensioners, in the main have been contributing to the system for years, so compulsory work should not be considered. If people want to carry on themselves or help that is fine. People are already being told they need to work longer to get any pension at all.

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Maine Lobster says...
11:07am Thu 25 Oct 12

The fact he considers pensioners to be a "burden on the state" should mean he ought to be stripped of his peerage.
Hide your head in shame Bichard. You are a disgrace.

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george h says...
11:11am Thu 25 Oct 12

What an utter imbecile.

Does he not realise that after retiring, pensioners invariably become even busier, loaded up with tasks that they simply haven't time to carry out while in full-time work?

Only yesterday I visited an aviation museum near Salisbury, built, maintained, and staffed very well by knowledgeable former workers from RAF Boscombe Down. This is but one charity of others too numerous to count that depend absolutely on older volunteers.

One wonders what the noble lord does in his spare time that doesn't involve filling in expenses claim forms for the House of Lords. An utter dic**h**d.

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OSPREYSAINT says...
11:11am Thu 25 Oct 12

Fitter OAP's could well do Community Work, but only to earn a little extra to supplement a poor pension and to encourage them to be active. Pensions aren't a charity, they have been earned. We all know the Tory mandate from their previous manifesto when they said that Pensions were going to become a burden Society, says it all really.

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Shoong says...
11:13am Thu 25 Oct 12

In principle I don't agree with Lord Bichard, however, consider this, today's scroungers will be pensioners one day.

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good-gosh says...
11:18am Thu 25 Oct 12

What a good idea - it would give me something useful to do. Do we get extra pension for overtime?

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arthur dalyrimple says...
11:29am Thu 25 Oct 12

a stinking kleptocrat on the rampage ,should be in a secure mental unit.

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Ted Rogers says...
11:37am Thu 25 Oct 12

Shoong wrote:
In principle I don't agree with Lord Bichard, however, consider this, today's scroungers will be pensioners one day.
Then target today's scroungers that are in receipt of benefits. More than likely a younger and fitter demographic, so the scope of 'community tasks' would be wider.

This chap is a populist moron who no doubt will be sitting pretty on a fat pension playing golf and sailing the yacht upon his retirement.

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Ted Rogers says...
11:43am Thu 25 Oct 12

Btw
He's 'Borrowed' this idea from a current care scheme that allows people of a certain age to earn credits for their own care in later life, by working in the care system as a 'Volunteer'
Doesn't translate into his vision as burden removal.
Twonk.

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StMarysSaint says...
11:59am Thu 25 Oct 12

So workers pay NI contributions which pays for one's state pension, just the same as paying into a private scheme, and this slave driving b' wants to make pensioners to pay yet again.

I'm sure he's on a nice little earner, no need to claim his state pension when he retires, but I bet he will.

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Raxx says...
12:01pm Thu 25 Oct 12

The Baron really ought to go and google "National Insurance".

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solomum says...
12:16pm Thu 25 Oct 12

How dare he say that older people are a negative burden on society. These are people that have worked and contributed to society for several years. The ones who are a negative burden are those that never work and intend to never work, claim every benefit they can get their hands on and continually produce children without the means to provide for them. Lord Bichard should be made to visit every single oap in Southampton and personally apologise for his disgusting slur.

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Frank28 says...
12:21pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Why doesn't he just suggest compulsory euthanasia? That's a way that the elderly will not be a burden on the State. Bichard has no respect for the elderly. He is a shameful man.

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Donald2000 says...
12:22pm Thu 25 Oct 12

There is a mistake in the report. What it should say is that the Lord **** stated that pensioners should work for their pensions.

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Paramjit Bahia says...
12:22pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Lord Bichard may not be the only lunatic, he may have opened his foul mouth to get some nasty ball rolling to test public reaction on behalf of the establishment.

In the national press this obnoxious parasite from the unelected House has been quoted suggesting that payments to pensioners not doing volunteering could be stopped.

In other words people should work till they reach certain age, when ordinary workers be asked to accept low wages because the super rich have screwed the economy, and after retirement do forced labour without any pay, otherwise lose their miserable pensions.

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TwistedWitch says...
12:38pm Thu 25 Oct 12

What a complete twit with an A. Does he not realised that the fit pensioners already do a lot to help out. I help to run a voluntary care driving service and the drivers are 90% retired folks who want something to do that not only gives them a reason to get up but puts back into society. Without them many lesser able bodied folks would be struggling to keep hospital appointments as there is precious little transport available funded by the NHS.

I wonder what he will be volunteering to do to keep from being a burden when he retires. Having said that, looking at him, he looks as if his common sense retired a long time ago.

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Donald2000 says...
12:55pm Thu 25 Oct 12

The rules that I started paying national insurance contributions under stated that the minimum contributions that one could pay into the system to get a full pension were about 41, out of a possible 45 years. Later this was changed to 30 years to get a full state pension. was notified years ago that I had my 30 years contributions. So why is it that some superannuated nobody from the HL thinks that I now want to work beyond my retirement age, when I am not fit enough to work anyway, apart from my age?

I somertimes wonder who it is we are being run by - I have never seen such a bunch of hysterical turkeys in government in all my life. These are the people who are now obsessed by what the media and Savile have done, instead of getting on with running the country. Silly people.

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Over the Edge says...
1:35pm Thu 25 Oct 12

stizy wrote:
I think people of working age who are receiving benefits should be doing some form of work whether voluntary or community based. Would give them great CV possibilities for their future potential employment. Benefits have increased and been handed out for far too long to working age people for nothing. Pensioners, in the main have been contributing to the system for years, so compulsory work should not be considered. If people want to carry on themselves or help that is fine. People are already being told they need to work longer to get any pension at all.
I suggest you read the Welfare Reform Act 2012.

No Government would impose such an idea,,,,,they would the granny vote that all so desperately seek.

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Subject48 says...
2:08pm Thu 25 Oct 12

still too angry to make a coherent post arguing what a waste of life/breath/space this man and many like him are....

They will push and push and push and eventualy people will have to push back.

I just hope it happens before its too late.

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acid drop says...
2:11pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Typical statement from an ex Grammar Shool boy.

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Baybrit says...
3:04pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Another pompous and arrogant UC Twit who thinks that pensions are an entitlement. People paid in for that pension. It isn't an entitlement, it isn't charity, it's a financial contract between the person and the government. We pay in all our working life and, at a specified point, we start recouping our investment. Bichard is a ignorant moron!

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bazzeroz says...
3:05pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Says he with the face of a pig! Scrote!

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Vonnie says...
3:07pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Subject48 wrote:
still too angry to make a coherent post arguing what a waste of life/breath/space this man and many like him are.... They will push and push and push and eventualy people will have to push back. I just hope it happens before its too late.
Like you, I am very angry and finding it difficult to be coherent. Who the devil does this idiot think he is?? God!! If retirees are such a burden on society, get rid of them when they reach retirement age. The same with the physically, mentally and emotionally disabled, and those who cannot work due to there being not enough jobs. Talk about Orwell's 1984!!

The contribution to society that pensioners make after retirement from paid work is there for all to see, except it would seem to power blinded morons like him. He, and his ilk, however, for all their capitalistic ignorance, are in the driving seat, and that is more than a little bit scary.

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bazzeroz says...
3:08pm Thu 25 Oct 12

I've just 'Googled' this pratt and he's now 65!! Eligible himself so let him be first in the queue.

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Arthurian says...
3:09pm Thu 25 Oct 12

acid drop wrote:
Typical statement from an ex Grammar Shool boy.
His opinions are not those of all Old Edwardians. We don't all have £120,000 p.a. pensions but most of us can spell "school"

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kevinchandler100@talktalk.net says...
3:17pm Thu 25 Oct 12

the mans an idiot just take a good look around and see how many of are loved elders are still able to walk with out aid of some kind its thanks to them that we have all the nice things in live we owe them are thanks for winning the war for us they deserve looking after with out paying again he sounds just like Hitler look what happened to him. lord bichar wont's to thank his lucky stars he's in a job i'd like to see him picking litter the b-sterd..

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john_wheeler38 says...
3:28pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Pension's are not a right they are paid for by the very people you are picking on i worked for 53 years so am intitled to a rest what about the lay abouts and people who come to this country just for the handouts start picking on them see how they react

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10 Minute Man says...
3:52pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Being old does not equal "has contributed to society all their lives".

If you're retiring from a life of hard work but into poverty (due to no proper employer provision or because it was poorly paid) then you should get some help from the state.

But lets face it, the people who failed to contribute before aren't going to become Mother Teresa and pitch in afterwards.

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kevinchandler100@talktalk.net says...
4:06pm Thu 25 Oct 12

what gets me is that all the foreign people that comes to this country may only have been here for 5 minuets and are entitled to the same as one of are own oaps who has paid in to the community for 35 plus yeas its all wrong.

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linstrand says...
4:06pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Most of us pensioners are looking after grandchildren because those working cannot afford childcare.
How dare this Public school moron dictate to our generations who have always done their time working & have retired on a meagre pension( especially women on their own)
I have a message for him .Learn some respect & manners for pensioners & you do the charity work you can afford it!!!!!!

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mickey01 says...
4:43pm Thu 25 Oct 12

there are many more on the weston estate who could do with earning their benefits who are well away from pension age (what a pleb) can i say that ?

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Georgem says...
5:04pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Luckily, Betteridge's Law applies here. End of story.

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Northamboy says...
7:07pm Thu 25 Oct 12

This excuse for a man retired at 54 years old with a Civil service pension of £120,000 per annum. My old age pension will be around 5 or 6k. If he wants me to work for that having paid NI for 40 years he can get stuffed!

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Northamboy says...
7:46pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Above post........ Should have said 50 years not 40! Time flies doesn't it.

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Rob444 says...
8:05pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Cameron's big society has clearly failed, so it looks like it will be made compulsory.

This Bishard should be ashamed of himself.

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pavonine says...
8:20pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Clearly this fool has no idea how many retirees actually spend their time. Many of them volunteer their time in charity shops; raise money for charities; work for charities such as AGE, or Samaritans, and of course through organisations such as WI, their church etc etc. As many have already said here - they contributed to their pensions - it isn't a handout or benefit! Of course we must remember that the government needs to claw back all the outrageous amounts they spend on pensions to balance the paltry amount they spend on MP's expenses...oh no wait, I think I may have that wrong...

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Dresnez says...
8:28pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Paramjit Bahia wrote:
Lord Bichard may not be the only lunatic, he may have opened his foul mouth to get some nasty ball rolling to test public reaction on behalf of the establishment.

In the national press this obnoxious parasite from the unelected House has been quoted suggesting that payments to pensioners not doing volunteering could be stopped.

In other words people should work till they reach certain age, when ordinary workers be asked to accept low wages because the super rich have screwed the economy, and after retirement do forced labour without any pay, otherwise lose their miserable pensions.
Lord Bichard achieved notoriety in 2012 while enjoying a public pension of £120,000 pa having retired at 54 suggested other retired people should work full or part time in order to help the state. Robert Oxley of the Tax Payers Alliance said "its a bit rich from a civil servant who was able to retire early to lecture us on working during retirement".

Tories hate pensioners

MP David Willetts for Havant wrote a book published in May 2011 called The Pinch: How the Baby Boomers Took Their Children's Future - And Why They Should Give it Back.

Jeremy Hunt co-authored a book in 2009 calling for the NHS to be dismantled & no longer relevant.

http://eoin-clarke.b
logspot.co.uk/2012/0
9/jeremy-hunt-co-aut
hored-book-in-2009.h
tml

All part of this New World Order which I take it will not include and oap like me.

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Poppy22 says...
2:20am Fri 26 Oct 12

Well if this isn't justification for doing away with the House of Lords, I don't know what is!
Think some "redundancies" at the House of Lords need to be made, and quick, so that this person can be freed up to get out and work in his local charity shop or - better - to sweep the streets or do the dustbin rounds for his public sector, paid by the rest of us, huge pension.
Current "in the real world" pensioners, and those about to "retire" (ha - joke!) in the next 10 years, have contributed far more to Society, and worked far harder, than the generations following behind. As for the benefit and hospital treatment tourists coming in from other countries, well ..... why aren't they doing community service??
Has this country totally gone to pot?!

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Nutstrangler says...
11:28am Fri 26 Oct 12

I worked for fifty years, at all times paying for my pension. If Lord ****-Hard thinks I should now do community service as well, he can go stick his head up a dead bear's bum !

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acid drop says...
1:52pm Sat 27 Oct 12

Arthurian wrote:
acid drop wrote:
Typical statement from an ex Grammar Shool boy.
His opinions are not those of all Old Edwardians. We don't all have £120,000 p.a. pensions but most of us can spell "school"
Sorry that should have been skool

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Arthurian says...
11:26am Sun 28 Oct 12

acid drop wrote:
Arthurian wrote:
acid drop wrote:
Typical statement from an ex Grammar Shool boy.
His opinions are not those of all Old Edwardians. We don't all have £120,000 p.a. pensions but most of us can spell "school"
Sorry that should have been skool
Molesworth rides again!

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