Comment from Byron McKeeby in at intemperate mood after falling out with TPR over yesterday’s blog – follow here.
The article Byron has read http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj42022gqzwo
Having had a dig at TPR earlier, this nonsense from
PLSA is surely even worse:PLSA suggest the cost of a minimum retirement living standard for a one-person household has decreased by £1,000 a year to £13,400.
Their minimum standard is calculated to include money for a household’s weekly groceries, a week’s holiday in the UK, eating out about once a month and some affordable leisure activities about twice a week.
None of the estimates include housing costs, because the PLSA expect many pensioners have paid off a mortgage, while those who rent often have a benefit entitlement to help them pay.
Again, in reporting this patronising claptrap the BBC did not speak to any pensioners or charities far more familiar with the realities.
Instead they quoted people like Zoe Alexander, director of policy and advocacy at the PLSA, saying, “For many, retirement is about maintaining the life they already have, not living more extravagantly or cutting back to the bare essentials.”
Or Paula Llewellyn, from insurance company L&G, saying, “Planning how you’ll spend your retirement years is often exciting …”
Or Helen Morrissey, head of retirement analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, saying, “Once you’ve got an idea of what you want then you can start to put a figure on what that might cost and you can then use online calculators to see if what you’ve got in your pension will get you where you need to be.”
Make your mind up!
PLSA have a full on publicity blaze on social media
Here are the key findings from the mentioned “press release”
The numbers for households in more detail
and quite different numbers for those living alone in retirement
The BBC are reporting what the PLSA are saying on our behalf and Byron rightly asks why we aren’t asking people who are retired and experiencing a standard of living.
I think there is a lesson here for the PLSA. The publicity for this important work looks a little too cosy to the PLSA. The importance of this work is huge and needs validation from those who live in later age.
Not everyone in retirement live in their purchased home and increasing numbers of retired households have to take on mortgages to live the lives they promised themselves and children.