stuart little
Established Member
My wages then were £25/wk.
£10
- Thread starter artie
- Start date
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Yorkieguy
Established Member
It wasn't, as might be imagined, a Labour Prime Minister who introduced the Christmas Bonus for pensioners in 1972, but Tory toff Edward Heath who served as PM from 1970-74. Back then, the £10 festive boost was a welcome gift, worth more than the weekly state pension, which in 1972 paid £6.75.
The most accurate inflation calculator I've found over the years is this one:
Historical UK inflation rates and price conversion calculator
That equates £10 in 1972 to £151 in 2022, and £6.75 to £102.
Since 1974 there have been eleven Prime Ministers - four Labour, seven Tory, none of whom have sought to increase the bonus, but have let it dwindle in value to nothing rather than to risk the flak of 'pensioner bashing' tabloid headlines - 'PM picks the pocket of poor pensioners'. (Not worth the hassle - £10 today equates to 66p in 1972).
Today's pensioners are far far better off than those back in 1972 and have little to bleat about. Many, myself included, have occupational pensions, which few had back in the 70s. The most overused term by lobbying groups for pensioners is that "they have to choose between heating and eating". It's total twaddle. I can say that because I'm 83. Every household in the land is getting £400 Energy Bill Supplement. (EBS). Those on certain benefits get additional help.
Pensioners over 66 also get Winter Fuel Allowance:
As we're over 80, my wife and have received £300 each so in addition to £400, that's £1,000 towards our winter fuel bill. That's only meant to help towards winter fuel payments, but it will pay our entire winter gas and electric bills from November to end of Feb.
Heck, back in the early 70s whether you had the money or not the country was on a three-day week and there were power cuts.
Throughout the 1970s the British economy was troubled by high rates of inflation. To tackle this, the government capped public sector pay rises and promoted a clear capped level to the private sector. This caused unrest amongst trade unions as wages didn't keep pace with price increases. This extended to most industries, including coal mining, which provided most of the country's fuel and had a powerful trade union.
As inflation increased, miners' wages fell in real terms and, by October 1973, average wages were 2.3% lower than recommended by the Wilberforce Enquiry, which reported on miners' pay in 1972
By the middle of 1973, the National Union of Mineworkers whose members almost wholly worked for the National Coal Board, were becoming more militant with the election of Mick Magahey as vice-president. The national conference passed resolutions for a ludicrous 35% wage increase, regardless of any government guidelines. On 13 December 1973, including the Three-Day Work Order, which came into force at midnight on 31 December. Commercial consumption of electricity was limited to three consecutive days each week.
A decade later, the lights stayed on and it didn't end well for the miners.
History is repeating itself, but not the miners this time around.
Ho hum...
The most accurate inflation calculator I've found over the years is this one:
Historical UK inflation rates and price conversion calculator
That equates £10 in 1972 to £151 in 2022, and £6.75 to £102.
Since 1974 there have been eleven Prime Ministers - four Labour, seven Tory, none of whom have sought to increase the bonus, but have let it dwindle in value to nothing rather than to risk the flak of 'pensioner bashing' tabloid headlines - 'PM picks the pocket of poor pensioners'. (Not worth the hassle - £10 today equates to 66p in 1972).
Today's pensioners are far far better off than those back in 1972 and have little to bleat about. Many, myself included, have occupational pensions, which few had back in the 70s. The most overused term by lobbying groups for pensioners is that "they have to choose between heating and eating". It's total twaddle. I can say that because I'm 83. Every household in the land is getting £400 Energy Bill Supplement. (EBS). Those on certain benefits get additional help.
Pensioners over 66 also get Winter Fuel Allowance:
- £500 if you were born between 26 September 1942 and 25 September 1956.
- £600 if you were born before 26 September 1942.
As we're over 80, my wife and have received £300 each so in addition to £400, that's £1,000 towards our winter fuel bill. That's only meant to help towards winter fuel payments, but it will pay our entire winter gas and electric bills from November to end of Feb.
Heck, back in the early 70s whether you had the money or not the country was on a three-day week and there were power cuts.
Throughout the 1970s the British economy was troubled by high rates of inflation. To tackle this, the government capped public sector pay rises and promoted a clear capped level to the private sector. This caused unrest amongst trade unions as wages didn't keep pace with price increases. This extended to most industries, including coal mining, which provided most of the country's fuel and had a powerful trade union.
As inflation increased, miners' wages fell in real terms and, by October 1973, average wages were 2.3% lower than recommended by the Wilberforce Enquiry, which reported on miners' pay in 1972
By the middle of 1973, the National Union of Mineworkers whose members almost wholly worked for the National Coal Board, were becoming more militant with the election of Mick Magahey as vice-president. The national conference passed resolutions for a ludicrous 35% wage increase, regardless of any government guidelines. On 13 December 1973, including the Three-Day Work Order, which came into force at midnight on 31 December. Commercial consumption of electricity was limited to three consecutive days each week.
A decade later, the lights stayed on and it didn't end well for the miners.
History is repeating itself, but not the miners this time around.
Ho hum...
John Brown
Freeloading Social media influenza
Politics has been like that for a long time. It's an intrinsic problem with what is essentially a two party system. By your own admission, you weren't paying attention before you retired.
I've never subscribed to a " one side bad, the other side good" point of view, as it's obviously nonsense, but I struggle to remember a worse, more corrupt and inept bunch that we have right now. Some of them should be in prison.
I shall keep my tenner, and put it towards normal living costs, which include buying stuff for the food bank most times we shop.
Fatherclive
Member
If you don’t want it, send it to me
I haven’t got it yet. I should have but haven’t. Maybe it’s been redirected to a worthier cause. Keep your eyes open.If you don’t want it, send it to me
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy/inflation/inflation-calculator
is the one that gives it as £108.
Richard_C
Established Member
"Hang on a minute, lads. I've got a great idea."*
How about eveybody who gets the £10 sends an email to Mel Stride - Sec of State at DWP - copy to their local MP thanking them and telling them what you spent it on? After all, it's only polite to thank people for gifts and they might enjoy a nice full inbox over Christmas when there is no parliamentary business to worry about.
*Anybody old enough to get the £10 is old enough to remember the end of the movie.
How about eveybody who gets the £10 sends an email to Mel Stride - Sec of State at DWP - copy to their local MP thanking them and telling them what you spent it on? After all, it's only polite to thank people for gifts and they might enjoy a nice full inbox over Christmas when there is no parliamentary business to worry about.
*Anybody old enough to get the £10 is old enough to remember the end of the movie.
J-G
Established Member
That is too broad a statement - I have a private pension but my total income is less than £12k pa. I hardly consider that being 'well off' !
J-G
Established Member
It's a great shame that the sequal never got made!
I've already had that, well it was £650, and then I was gifted another payment of £150, and the tenner arrived a couple of days ago.
All pays for the energy bills. Hence my home is a toasty 23c
If it's any consolation (and I know it isn't) you can actually still get 2 bottles of Scotch for a tenner here; last year Lidl were flogging VAT69 at the equivalent of just under £4.50 a bottle.
Chance would be a fine thing! My ex-wife ended up with my pension pot - and most of everything else - when we divorced. Then she kicked the bucket just before reaching pension age. Left her "lodger" a nice house and a tidy sum though....
Anyone old enough to get the £10 will remember it was a film, not a "movie""Hang on a minute, lads. I've got a great idea."*
How about eveybody who gets the £10 sends an email to Mel Stride - Sec of State at DWP - copy to their local MP thanking them and telling them what you spent it on? After all, it's only polite to thank people for gifts and they might enjoy a nice full inbox over Christmas when there is no parliamentary business to worry about.
*Anybody old enough to get the £10 is old enough to remember the end of the movie.
J-G
Established Member
Crazy Dave
Retired Genius now nursing dementia.
I would be very grateful for £10 right now. Some people don't know how lucky they are.
ey_tony
Established Member
I too couldn't figure out where the £10 came from on my bank statement but come to think of it I could get a few useful little tools for under a tenner each so while it's not much in the grand scheme of things I won't complain or think it's derisory. They can give me a tenner anytime and I'm sure I'll find a use for it!
planesleuth
Established Member
I have just received my £10. I have donated it directly into the NHS because it is more important that nurses can eat and stay warm than for me to buy another tool or tip wine down my throat. Think about it...you are going to need our nurses selfless skills one day!
Keith Cocker
Established Member
If you get the £10 you will also be getting a pension surely. And then Iof course free Health Care for the whole of your life. Roads to drive on free of charge. I could go on …… I get a bit weary of people moaning about paying taxes. Perhaps better to Moab about some people not paying enough tax!
whatknot
Established Member
Well my wayward tenner came home yesterday, presumably they stagger payments in batches
So if you haven't had it check again
So if you haven't had it check again
