Thread by @jamesmb

Let's have a quick word about the Tories, pensions and Scotland.

IDS has proposed that the retirement age is raised to 75. His thinking is that this is the only way to "afford" the actual worst pension in Europe or the G7.
mirror.co.uk/news/politics/…

This map shows life expectancy across the UK. Lighter colours are lower life expectancy. The lightest blue you can see is 75-80 - the age bracket that would see the shortest retirement before death.

Except that working longer would lead to more stress on the body and, therefore, lower life expectancy - so those in the light blue would have a very, very short retirement.

Think of the saving when most of Scotland and Wales get maybe a year's pension at best!

But lo! What is this I see?

That's Glasgow. Scotland's second city (let's not argue that point, Weegies! I lived in Edinburgh - we're best! 😉 ).

Glasgow is in a different colour.

Want to know why?

Life expectancy in Glasgow is a wee bit over 73. Meaning the biggest saving from IDS' proposal will be not paying ANY pension for the majority of Glaswegians - they just get to pay in, not receive.

So, by increasing the retirement age and increasing physical stress by working more years, you can reduce pension payments by simply hastening old people's deaths.

Just like they did by making PIP assessments so stressful that people killed themselves.

Another IDS idea.

#GTTO