PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Scottish Independence
View Single Post
Old 27th October 2011 | 22:38
  #153 (permalink)  
Hummingfrog
 
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 687
Likes: 1
From: Up north
D88

I think you're basing your assumption on any money Scots have put in to N.I. contribution's (the theoretical basis for eligibility and paying pensions) would be wiped out and declared null and void
I don't think you understand the way pensions are paid and funded. NI contributions don't go into a separate pot - they are included in the general taxation pot - NI is a good wheeze the politicians use to increase income tax while being able to deny they are increasing income tax.

So all the NI contributions being made now by the Scots are funding the state pensions of the Scots now taking a pension. This will carry on post independence so all Scottish state pensions will be paid out of Scottish taxation - there will be no pot due from the separation of Scotland from the UK.

The Service pension issue will be more complicated. The same method of payment is used for all present Service pensions - the taxpayer pays - again there is no pot to share. Post independence one could argue that Service pensioners living in Scotland - i.e. like me even though I am English by birth will be paid by the Scottish taxpayer as they are now. However it is not as simple as the state pension - which every body gets. You could argue that both the Scottish taxpayer and the remaining UK taxpayers should foot the Service pension bill as the distribution of pensioners may not reflect the split in population. This method of funding would only apply to pensioners who retire pre independence. Post independence the country whose Armed Forces you choose to remain with will pay your pension.

Any scheme you have paid into is different as there is a pot to share.

This is only one of the myriad problems facing the politicians who want independence and will have to be answered before the referendum.

HF
Hummingfrog is offline  
Reply