The Retirement Thread

[SpokeyDokey]

Noticed the posts ref Government Gateway. I have recently used mine to complete my annual tax return, no problem. However, one of my Pensioner drinking pals claims they are changing the mechanism to check your Id. He apparently had hours of “fun” negotiating the new set up.

Apparently now called HMRC Online - can still use old Government Gateway logins though.

For anyone who does not use this then this is the sort of info' it can provide ie Pension Forecast (net of Contracted Out deduction) and the Contracted Out deduction itself. My forecast is higher than the New State Pension minimum as I paid into S2P/SERPS. NB; note that the only requirement to pay NI contributions is based on the conditional "if you are working you may still need to pay.. etc". This is where confusion normally arises:

 

[welsh dragon]

Yes, there either have been or are changes on the way. Last time I tried to log in via the Post Office it was very difficult. Prior to that we had to log in via Experian which was far simpler.

I logged on a couple of months ago. Didn't have any problems

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I logged on a couple of months ago. Didn't have any problems

Ditto.

Just did it a few minutes ago for a couple of screenshot for this thread.

 

[12boy]

Classic...come on over and help yourself. There will be plenty for a few days and then it will all melt away.
Wow, your pension schemes seem very complicated. Mine was easy peasy which was good cause I aint too smart. I was a govt agency manager so ipso facto a little dim. Nevertheless, I had to figure it to know when I could retire and the online calculators made it easy to compare my net while working vs the annuity net.
I like the hedgerow thing but it never occurred to me it was St George and the Dragon because it looked like the beast was on a leash. I was thinking a guy walking his pet crocodile.
Be safe and well.

 

[classic33]

Apparently now called HMRC Online - can still use old Government Gateway logins though.

For anyone who does not use this then this is the sort of info' it can provide ie Pension Forecast (net of Contracted Out deduction) and the Contracted Out deduction itself. My forecast is higher than the New State Pension minimum as I paid into S2P/SERPS. NB; note that the only requirement to pay NI contributions is based on the conditional "if you are working you may still need to pay.. etc". This is where confusion normally arises:

View attachment 641510

View attachment 641511

On WiFi, low signal(O2 or piggyback network). Message(s) unread, something happening on the 31st when you'll sign into gooogle to find out what.
Iris scan to get onto the phone, which has NFC, possible tethering and/or hotspot and Bluetooth, but only if the moon is in the correct phase.

 

[classic33]

Classic...come on over and help yourself. There will be plenty for a few days and then it will all melt away.
Wow, your pension schemes seem very complicated. Mine was easy peasy which was good cause I aint too smart. I was a govt agency manager so ipso facto a little dim. Nevertheless, I had to figure it to know when I could retire and the online calculators made it easy to compare my net while working vs the annuity net.
I like the hedgerow thing but it never occurred to me it was St George and the Dragon because it looked like the beast was on a leash. I was thinking a guy walking his pet crocodile.
Be safe and well.

It'd have melted by the time I got it back here. I have thought about it though.

 

[Tenkaykev]

Daughters bloke has just crossed the finish line at Tyndrum in a time of 13h:40m. It was a tad warm out there today ☀️☀️

 

[classic33]

Daughters bloke has just crossed the finish line at Tyndrum in a time of 13h:40m. It was a tad warm out there today ☀️☀️

Anyone there with a pint for him as he cleared the finish line?

 

[classic33]

Possibly very important news for some, but there may be Fish & Chip shortages later this year.
The cause, people are buying cooking oil in sufficient quantities to use in their cars as it's cheaper than diesel.

Supermarkets are limiting sales to a bottle per transaction.

 

[Sterlo]

You could buy him one, as surprise.
Maybe even a matching His and Hers pair.

How to finish someone off who is later in years, give them a scythe, just like the Grim Reaper

 

[classic33]

How to finish someone off who is later in years, give them a scythe, just like the Grim Reaper

She might wish to "supervise" whilst its in use, not just leave him to it.

 

[ColinJ]

I enjoyed watching both the men's and women's editions of La Flèche Wallonne. In case you don't know it, the races finish with 2 laps of a circuit with the Mur de Huy tackled 3 times. That is a horribly steep climb, very much like some of the nasty ones round here, only I don't race up them - I just grovel up slowly!

I had been out on my 'dinglespeed' bike this afternoon and felt a bit sleepy after showering and eating. Still, lots of cycling to watch. I put the women's race on. It was really exciting, and I was enjoying the coverage whennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.... AAARGH, I DOZED OFF AND SPILT MY COFFEE ON MY LEG!!!!!

Fortunately, the coffee was in one of those thermos mugs with a lid on (so the spillage was more of a steady drip) AND the coffee had cooled off a bit so I didn't scald myself.

Hmm, still peckish. I think I'll nip out to Aldi for a treat!

 

[classic33]

I enjoyed watching both the men's and women's editions of La Flèche Wallonne. In case you don't know it, the races finish with 2 laps of a circuit with the Mur de Huy tackled 3 times. That is a horribly steep climb, very much like some of the nasty ones round here, only I don't race up them - I just grovel up slowly!

I had been out on my 'dinglespeed' bike this afternoon and felt a bit sleepy after showering and eating. Still, lots of cycling to watch. I put the women's race on. It was really exciting, and I was enjoying the coverage whennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.... AAARGH, I DOZED OFF AND SPILT MY COFFEE ON MY LEG!!!!!

Fortunately, the coffee was in one of those thermos mugs with a lid on (so the spillage was more of a steady drip) AND the coffee had cooled off a bit so I didn't scald myself.

Hmm, still peckish. I think I'll nip out to Aldi for a treat!

Aldi open gone 9:30pm down there!

 

[ColinJ]

Aldi open gone 9:30pm down there!

10 pm for Aldi and Lidl here, Mon-Sat.

I didn't take my reading glasses with me. I bought what I thought were fruit scones. It turns out the the brown speckles are actually caramel, which was a surprise, but they taste very nice!

I think you must be right about the mail deliveries - I got one at 7 pm today. Strange - I haven't seen any announcement about it.

 

[classic33]

10 pm for Aldi and Lidl here, Mon-Sat.

I didn't take my reading glasses with me. I bought what I thought were fruit scones. It turns out the the brown speckles are actually caramel, which was a surprise, but they taste very nice!

I think you must be right about the mail deliveries - I got one at 7 pm today. Strange - I haven't seen any announcement about it.

They started in an attempt to keep up with the increase in things being posted, and reduced numbers doing the delivering. Some were finishing gone 10pm, having started at 6am. Then they went to a parcels only service on a Sunday.