Do people really think the NHS and Pension system will last forever?

There is no way it will continue much longer thanks to longer life expectancy.

The typical who whinge at the cuts of the NHS are just kidding themselves. There will be no money left to run it.

It is inevitable.

Reply 1

JoeL1994

It's a part of British culture, it will last as long as the UK lasts.

Reply 2

SotonianOne

No, and I hope not.

I would like a Thatcherite PM to come here and sell it off. Especially the pension system, which is the worst I've seen. Pensions should be entirely private, even in the public sector. Anyways, I give it until 2040. It's bound to implode. By that time less than 33% of the UK population will be in work, and that's due to demographics not economics. Those are levels last seen in 1930s.

Europe accounting for 8% of the World population but 55% of world welfare spending says enough. We've seen this continent lead the world and prosper, plunge into a devastating war, rebuild itself and prosper again but somehow issue a vow to turn into a leftist utopia after the fall of communism, now we're seeing it stagnate and southern europe contract. People think that 20 days holiday in America is not enough, so they want the 40 here in Europe, then when the debt bubble bursts and AI automation overdrive begins people will be scraping the low wages and 5 days holiday a day for their greediness beforehand.

Debt bubble in the face of technological advancement and low-skilled job automation. Perfect recipe for disaster. Best thing is, everyone else will be laughing, or praying, but no one will be giving money, seeing as charitable Europe is the 81% charity provider for the planet. Relying on the 19% to fix Europe, heh.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 3

Bill_Gates

Personally don't think it will. But i still want the least well off in society to always have access to healthcare. Rather not have an over bloated insurance based scheme either.

Reply 4

Rakas21

Probably not.

We lack the birth rate to support a public pension system in the long term and while private pensions will suffice for some, we'll probably have trouble paying for the pensions of the poor.

The NHS will probably evolve into some kind of European social insurance model unless there's a radical shift to the left.

Reply 5

ChaoticButterfly

Original post by JoeL1994

It's a part of British culture, it will last as long as the UK lasts.

No, the NHS will exist in name and marketing only. All the same buzzwords and sentiments of the welfare state will be expressed. But the reality will be starkly different.

Reply 6

ChaoticButterfly

Original post by Rakas21

The NHS will probably evolve into some kind of European social insurance model unless there's a radical shift to the left.

Please explain. I need ammunition. People think I am some kind of tin foil wackjob when I say the NHS is under threat.

Reply 7

the bear

we could lift the deadweight of obesity from the NHS by taxing sugar and cornstarch in food.
it ain't gonna be pretty in the next few decades, you mark my words. etc.

Reply 8

Rakas21

Original post by ChaoticButterfly

Please explain. I need ammunition. People think I am some kind of tin foil wackjob when I say the NHS is under threat.

Well it's not under threat right now but if we are talking about 2050+ (i.e. our old age) then i can't see the taxpayer being on the hook to such a massive degree. At some point the aging population due to low birth rates will force a government to push the cost onto the consumer to a greater degree. It's already occurring with pensions and over time will occur with the NHS since we can't keep increasing it's budget as a percentage of GDP forever before we impact other departments.

Reply 9

Rakas21

Original post by the bear

we could lift the deadweight of obesity from the NHS by taxing sugar and cornstarch in food.
it ain't gonna be pretty in the next few decades, you mark my words. etc.

We should definitely review the services it offers. Operations for cultural reasons and transgender surgeries should not be funded by my taxes.

Reply 10

Quady

Original post by Falcatas

Why?

As the SPA rises there is less pressure on pensions and more tax being paid.

Reply 11

n00

Original post by Rakas21

We should definitely review the services it offers.

Too right, i mean homeopathy ffs.

Original post by Rakas21

Operations for cultural reasons

Such as?

Reply 12

Rakas21

Original post by n00

Too right, i mean homeopathy ffs.

Such as?

Hymen replacements.

Reply 13

n00

Original post by Rakas21

Hymen replacements.

on the nhs? Crazy!

Reply 14

Davij038

I think that there should be a guaranteed state funded health system for vulnerable people (chiefly children) and that otherwise people should choose to opt in to the NHS and pay a extra share of tax.

Reply 15

Alfissti

Original post by Rakas21

Hymen replacements.

Holy ****!! That's available on the NHS??

I doubt state pensions will go on forever unless taxes go up significantly or suddenly there is something that causes a huge budget surplus which would allow for a setting up of a state sovereign fund that could fund such a behemoth of an operation.

As for healthcare, it will evolve to an insurance based system as no way it can go on forever.

Reply 16

whorace

Talk about turkey's voting for Christmas. Yes I do think it will last, the aging population believe it or not are not so much of the population to completely decimate the entire tax system, they save billions in pensions (which we loot to pay for our own selfish reasons despite the fact they did their work)

Reply 17

username1494226

I think Britain will gradually become even more of a Little America. All we need is a nut job equivalent of Donald Trump which can be found in the form of Boris Johnson