Member Info for asimpleinvestor

@8888 So is the new style Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Maternity Allowance

@8888 Some might see it differently, but like it or not, the state pension is just another benefit funded through the welfare budget. So when people say others shouldn’t be allowed to sponge off the state in relation to those on benefits, they need to remember they’re part of that group too. Probably why some don’t like being reminded that the state pension is a state-funded benefit.

The UK State Pension operates on a pay-as-you-go basis, meaning current National Insurance contributions (NICs) fund current retirees rather than being held in an individual personal account. Effectively, the contributions you paid covered the pensions of your parents' generation, and the contributions of younger generations fund the pensions paid today.

NICs do not solely fund pensions; they are allocated across the National Insurance Fund which covers state pensions and contributory benefits and a direct allocation to the National Health Service (NHS).

To qualify for the new State Pension, individuals generally require a minimum of 10 qualifying years on their National Insurance record, with 35 qualifying years required to receive the full flat-rate amount. If you do not complete your maximum qualifying years this opens you up to the potential of gaining Pension Credits, another benefit, however Pension Credit is paid through direct taxation rather than NIC's.

"State pension is not a benefit in many people's eyes"

@8888 Doesn't matter how people view it the fact is that its a benefit and paid for through the welfare budget.

"Labour said it would be protected for this governments term, it did not say it would keep it after then."

@Dorfan Isn't that just common sense from the government? Once this government's term ends, it will be up to the next one to decide how to proceed with the Triple Lock. If Labour are voted out, they can’t speak for the party that gets voted in, can they? Many in here suggest Reform UK are likely to get in at the end of Labours term so maybe people should be asking them what will happen to the Triple Lock. Their response to date is we will abolish it followed by they will keep it, so 50/50.

I've checked the FOI data which revealed exactly how many working-age people would fail to achieve even the "minimum" retirement income standard (as set by Pensions UK, currently £13,400 a year for a single person) if the Triple Lock were scrapped over the long term:

Under the Triple Lock: 4.6 million workers are on track to fall short of the minimum standard.

If changed to a flat CPI Inflation Link: That number spikes to 11.7 million workers failing to hit the minimum standard.

It still bears out that the government has help pensioners by keeping the triple lock whereas you suggested no help had been given to pensioners which is blatantly incorrect.

@Dorfan As an aside, I just fact-checked your figures. While I won't tell you how the data has been mismatched as you don't like me using AI, the claim that removing the Triple Lock would instantly trigger a 50% pensioner poverty rate is completely fictional. The November 2025 LCP FOI data actually focused on long-term retirement living standards, not immediate destitution.

The underlying point about fiscal drag and frozen thresholds is entirely valid, but it is always worth verifying the data before posting to ensure the argument stays accurate. However, as stated, the government has already confirmed this threshold freeze won't affect pensioners whose sole income is derived entirely from the State Pension which was your original point.

@Dorfan, you’ve essentially answered your own point about this government not doing anything for pensioners. I mentioned the triple lock, and you’ve confirmed it. There was talk of the government scrapping it, but they decided to keep it, which in turn helped pensioners.

As for the personal allowance and fiscal drag, the government has already stated that pensioners relying solely on the state pension won’t pay tax on it. That makes the argument irrelevant when it comes to pensioners in poverty on fixed incomes, which was your original point.

Dorfan, I gave you the opportunity to set me on the right track, yet you chose not to. So, if I’m still heading in the wrong direction, it’s because you didn’t explain yourself properly.

It seems I didn’t finish the last paragraph of the original post intended for you. Maybe thats why you didn't fully understand it. To clarify the exact numbers, people signed off long-term sick via fit notes fall under 'incapacity benefits' (such as the Universal Credit health top-up). This specific group accounts for roughly 9.2% of the total UK welfare budget (costing just under £30 billion a year). As you can figure for yourself the figure utilised for the state pension (55%) far exceeds that 9.2% and that figure and the 55% is after the cuts to pensioners... extras.

@Dorfan How many times have I said this? I use AI to rewrite my posts (including this one) because I have dyslexia, to make them clear for everyone. I don’t use it for most of the content, as I’m perfectly capable of researching my own information. Which part did I misunderstand? Your post was completely clear.

For reference; This was the post of yours I replied to:

"Targeting families specifically, what about those retired on fixed/limited pensions that are struggling? This government is blatantly ignoring this sector of 12 million people. They are not all rich and enjoying the high life but the government seems to think it is.

Right from day one this government has never as far as I am aware made any comments about helping pensioners, it has done the opposite actually by stripping away some of the benefits they did receive to prop up for example those that get fit notes to be off work long term.

There is s fundamental problem with this government in that it treats different groups of people unfairly."

@skier1 The US is undeniably vast, both in population and landmass, you can fit the UK total geographic area into it roughly 40 times. Its population is also 5 times larger than ours, but its fiscal leverage is growing at a much faster rate; the US national debt is now approximately 10.5 times larger than that of the UK when adjusted for exchange rates. Furthermore, the American economy has shown signs of a soft patch, with the UK actually beating the US for GDP growth last quarter (0.6% vs 0.5% in Q1 2026).

On a more positive note for our domestic outlook, the UK’s debt-to-GDP ratio remains structurally lower at 93.8%, compared to the US total gross federal debt which sits at 125.3% of GDP. This gap is becoming highly apparent in annual servicing costs. Net interest outlays on the US federal debt reached $970 billion for the fiscal year and have now broken past the $1.00 trillion annualized mark. By comparison, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) confirms UK net debt interest spending is sitting at £111.2 billion (approximately $141.2 billion) for the financial year.

@8888 Pensioners are targeted because they are the largest line item: official DWP data shows roughly 55% of the total social security budget is allocated to pensioner benefits (primarily the State Pension). While demographic pressure will push this up by 2029, independent forecasts expect it to remain under 60%. Many calling for welfare cuts overlook that pensions form the absolute majority of this spending.

By comparison, unemployment benefits make up a tiny fraction of the budget, well under 4%. Regarding contributions, the system is funded directly by anyone paying National Insurance. For foreign nationals, there is no shortcut to a State Pension; like UK citizens, they must accumulate a minimum of 10 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions to receive even a partial payout. Furthermore, most visa categories strictly prohibit access to means-tested working-age welfare via "No Recourse to Public Funds" conditions until permanent residency is secured, meaning standard benefits do not go to immigrants who haven't paid into the system.

@Dorfan The reality is that the UK's 12.7 million pensioners are far from a financial monolith. While 79% are homeowners, with 74% owning their property outright with no mortgage, reducing monthly outgoings dramatically, asset wealth is highly unequal. DWP data confirms that roughly 1.9 million pensioners live in relative poverty and rely entirely on fixed incomes.

The assertion that benefits have been cut is accurate in relation to the Winter Fuel Payment, which was stripped from approximately 10 million retirees when it became means-tested. However, the claim that the government has offered no financial help is structurally incomplete. The preservation of the Triple Lock resulted in a 4.1% increase in 2025, followed by a further 4.8% rise in April 2026, pushing the full new State Pension to £241.30 a week. While the restriction of universal energy perks has clearly penalised those just above the Pension Credit threshold, the primary baseline pension continues to rise under inflation and wage-matching guarantees.

As a side note, "fit notes" (sick notes) are strictly an issue for the working-age population to manage economic inactivity; they have no direct operational or budgetary crossover with the 12.7 million people already at State Pension age.

@lordloadsoflolly First, the physical damage to production facilities needs to be repaired, which industry estimates suggest could take up to three years. Until infrastructure is online, the global helium market is highly likely to remain structurally tight with elevated pricing, irrespective of the status of the Strait of Hormuz. Qatar cannot export volume that it is not actively producing.

Regarding transit fees, the $150,000 per shipment for gas for most countries is considered low rather than exorbitant as you claim when you consider helium prices have almost doubled in value since the worlds supply of helium reduced by a third when Qatars facility was damaged. Furthermore, geopolitical precedent suggests Iran is unlikely to waive or reduce transit levies through the strait without reciprocal sanctions relief or formal financial compensation tied to recent military actions.

Equally it could be the opposite and Dave having a £50 asset from his £500 investment.

What’s frustrating about HEX? It’s running almost on schedule, with only a small issue involving Inez to deal with, but nothing major. It’s selling product as promised, with more potential offtakers expected in the near future in a market likely to remain tight for the next 2–3 years. It’s currently trading below fair value, with potential gains exceeding original forecasts, we could see the company trading 20–30% above expectations within 12 months. If they keep this momentum and manage to add hydrogen into the mix the skies the limit. What’s not to like? Patience is a virtue, after all.

"Are they going to start opening new wells anytime soon and increase production ?"

Another who doesn't read RNS's. Yes, that is their intention utilising the proceeds from sales.

Underwhelming is the understatement; I didn't expect it to fall. Just hit 39.2p

They just need to work through the other court actions now.

It’s standard practice for confidentiality agreements to keep both pricing and client details private, and honestly, it works in our favor since it prevents other interested parties from knowing the price we received. Spot prices are currently 40%-60% above average, ranging between $700 and $850 per mcf. I mentioned there was movement, but no one’s going to commit to long-term contracts without seeing and testing samples firsthand. This short-term contract is the first, and I expect a longer-term agreement will follow if they’re happy with the service, as I anticipate they see this as a probation period. Today and tomorrow should be interesting.

"The truth that there's hardly any sells and a tonne more buys lol"

How are they buying if there are no sellers?

"Don’t ask me because my comment was not aimed at you directly but to everyone else who cares to read my posts."

When you post to a larger audience, it becomes even more important to elaborate and fill in the blanks. Failing to do so sends the message to that audience that your words lack substance and reliable content.

Yes, they posted pictures on X-formally Twitter showing trailers entering and leaving the site. Which suggests so