Originally Posted by Chrysalis

my point was to try and make it clearer, that I said many people if not most people believe pensions to be a different class of income to any other state benefit. You then said because it is different which is exactly what I said people think.

We have contribution based pensions funded by national insurance tax, only payable to those who have paid enough NI. It is a state benefit.
We have income based pensions payable to those who have a lack of income and savings, it is a state benefit.

Pensions come under the same budget as every other benefit and make the vast bulk of the DWP budget.

Someone could be claiming JSA or IB all their life and be considered layabouts by poeple, as soon as they hit pension age they suddenly more respected and more deserving why?

Likewise someone could be working all their life and then fall ill at 35, they then go on contribution based incapacity benefit (or ESA now days) and having paid 17 years worth of NI now claiming back due to ill health, they be considered **** and undeserving but likewise someone who claims contribution based pensions has earned it. Whats the difference?

There is certianly no reason why IB(ESA) should be different from the pension rate, they both there to cover living costs for people who dont have to work. They differ tho due to political reasons.