[Politics] Tory party achievements 2010 - 2024

The Clamp said:

They sacked Liz Truss.


That’s all I’ve got.

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Chicken Run said:

The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, was passed on 17 July 2013, and the first marriages of same sex couples took place on Saturday 29 March 2014.

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nicko31 said:

The damage has been unprecedented IMHO, but to say nothing has been achieved would be harsh, here's a couple...

Expansion of Offshore wind generation (largely down to coalition with LD, but a wins a win)

Pension reform / pension freedoms, finally something to get employers to contribute and employees to pay in

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Coldeanseagull said:

They kept the bloody socialists out of office, big win in my book.
Now I can ignore yet another politics related load of shit thread

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Harry Wilson's tackle said:

1. Good
2. Can you explain? I was not aware of any changes (to my pension arrangements).

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• The UK pensions system has undergone a number of reforms in recent years. The changes are aimed at increasing the retirement age, as well as equalising the retirement age between men and women, and trying to ensure more widespread workplace pension provision. The latter is particularly important, given that the state pension is basic. In addition, as stated above, many companies have closed their final salary defined benefit (DB) schemes, in favour of defined contribution (DC) schemes, which are less costly for the employer, but not as favourable for the employee.
• In April 2006, the Pension Protection Fund was established in order to compensation members of DB pension schemes in cases where the employer became insolvent and there were insufficient funds in the scheme.
• On 1 October 2011, the Default Retirement Age (DRA) was removed, meaning that employers could no longer require employees to retire at the age of 65.
• On 1 October 2012, auto-enrolment (which was provided for by the Pensions Act 2008) was introduced beginning with the largest companies. Under auto-enrolment, the employer enrols all employees in a workplace pension scheme, to which the employer must make a minimum contribution; employees have the option of opting out of the scheme. The introduction of auto-enrolment is being staged in over a period that is set to end in 2019. The government has introduced auto-enrolment in order to ensure that all eligible employees are offered the opportunity of being members of a workplace pension scheme: in the past, many employers did not offer schemes or employees did not enrol in them. However, there are concerns in the government that the low levels of contribution rates to these schemes will not be sufficient to afford workers a decent retirement income.
• Under the Pensions Act 2014:
  • The current basic state pension and the additional state pension have been replaced by a fixed rate pension, although this does not apply to existing pensioners.
  • The state pension age is being increased gradually from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028. There will also be a regular review of the state pension age.
  • The government is enabled to introduce minimum standards concerning governance and administration of workplace pension schemes.
  • The Act also contains a number of other measures relating to private pensions, many of which strengthen existing legislation.
• From April 2015, those with a defined contribution (DC) scheme have been able to access and withdraw the money saved (their pension pot) from the age of 55. Further, certain defined benefit scheme members are able to switch to a DC scheme if the rules allow this. The purpose of these reforms is to make pensions more flexible. However, there have been concerns that individuals may withdraw and spend all their cash, leaving little for actual retirement, and a plan to allow those who have purchased pension annuities to sell them for cash has been abandoned.
• The general trend in terms of company pensions in the UK is the fact that many company defined benefit schemes have closed to new entrants, meaning that most workers are now covered by less advantageous DC schemes.

dazzer6666 said:

Pension reform in the UK

• The UK pensions system has undergone a number of reforms in recent years. The changes are aimed at increasing the retirement age, as well as equalising the retirement age between men and women, and trying to ensure more widespread workplace pension provision. The latter is particularly important, given that the state pension is basic. In addition, as stated above, many companies have closed their final salary defined benefit (DB) schemes, in favour of defined contribution (DC) schemes, which are less costly for the employer, but not as favourable for the employee.
• In April 2006, the Pension Protection Fund was established in order to compensation members of DB pension schemes in cases where the employer became insolvent and there were insufficient funds in the scheme.
• On 1 October 2011, the Default Retirement Age (DRA) was removed, meaning that employers could no longer require employees to retire at the age of 65.
• On 1 October 2012, auto-enrolment (which was provided for by the Pensions Act 2008) was introduced beginning with the largest companies. Under auto-enrolment, the employer enrols all employees in a workplace pension scheme, to which the employer must make a minimum contribution; employees have the option of opting out of the scheme. The introduction of auto-enrolment is being staged in over a period that is set to end in 2019. The government has introduced auto-enrolment in order to ensure that all eligible employees are offered the opportunity of being members of a workplace pension scheme: in the past, many employers did not offer schemes or employees did not enrol in them. However, there are concerns in the government that the low levels of contribution rates to these schemes will not be sufficient to afford workers a decent retirement income.
• Under the Pensions Act 2014:
  • The current basic state pension and the additional state pension have been replaced by a fixed rate pension, although this does not apply to existing pensioners.
  • The state pension age is being increased gradually from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028. There will also be a regular review of the state pension age.
  • The government is enabled to introduce minimum standards concerning governance and administration of workplace pension schemes.
  • The Act also contains a number of other measures relating to private pensions, many of which strengthen existing legislation.
• From April 2015, those with a defined contribution (DC) scheme have been able to access and withdraw the money saved (their pension pot) from the age of 55. Further, certain defined benefit scheme members are able to switch to a DC scheme if the rules allow this. The purpose of these reforms is to make pensions more flexible. However, there have been concerns that individuals may withdraw and spend all their cash, leaving little for actual retirement, and a plan to allow those who have purchased pension annuities to sell them for cash has been abandoned.
• The general trend in terms of company pensions in the UK is the fact that many company defined benefit schemes have closed to new entrants, meaning that most workers are now covered by less advantageous DC schemes.

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Harry Wilson's tackle said:

1. Good
2. Can you explain? I was not aware of any changes (to my pension arrangements).

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Harry Wilson's tackle said:

Thanks. A bit nuanced for me.

I have been able to reduce my hours to 80%, take 80% of my maximum tax free lump sum, and continue to be paid at 80% of my previous salary, while (I think, I need to check - but why should I bother?) continuing to pay into my pension (despite it being AVC and missing years 'maxed' up). As of this month (a month after I turned 66 so I am not an 'early' retirer). If I couldn't have done that had I been 66 15 years ago then: thank you Tories.

I note from the above that some of those changed came in during the last labour government and others are quite nuanced. If I am the direct beneficiary of clever Tory rule changes, that's great, but they seem to have cocked up the business of ensuring I understand that I am the direct beneficiary of their largesse. If only they had rammed that home rather than gobbing off about Rwanda, insisting on Brexit, messing up the NHS, border controls, transport and everything else, I might have voted for them.

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Harry Wilson's tackle said:

Quite likely Starmer will be able to do that quite easily, too.
Without the need to weaponize a load of old bollocks like Brexit and Rwanda and 'culture wars'.

(We can see how upset you are at the prospect of your boys taking a hell of a beating. How does it go? Ah, that's it: sorry for your loss )

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