Do we have a two-tier pension system?

FROM the day I entered the Met, I was obliged to contribute a percentage of my salary towards my pension. The good thing about this arrangement was that money was never paid into my hand or bank account. Had others made the same arrangement towards a private pension, they wouldn’t be complaining of a two-tier pension system.

R. S. SMITh, Surbiton, Surrey. GOVERNMENT advisers bleat about working pensioners paying National Insurance to contribute towards social care. Meanwhile, they have index-linked pensions to look forward to. Those of us who need to work because we were swindled out of our pension entitlements by various ‘reforms’ are already paying 20 per cent on our earnings, so the prospect of paying an extra 12 per cent on the minimum wage does not appeal.

ANDREW AIREY, Worksop, Notts

THE scandal is not the quality of the public sector final salary pensions, but the paucity of private pensions. In the past ten years, dividends paid by major UK companies to shareholders have increased from £60 billion in 2008 to £95 billion in 2017, while at the same time deficits in pension schemes have been allowed to increase. The issue is that companies have chosen to reward managers and shareholders rather than share profits with their employees.

TERRY KELLY, Widnes, Cheshire. WHAT to do with the 25p-a-week pension increase when you hit 80 (Letters)? Think yourselves lucky, as for the second time my husband’s pension has gone up by 1p! Think of the cost of the paper, envelope and posting charges to tell him.

M. RUSSELL, address supplied.

WHOOPEE! My triple-lock state pension increase is £202 for the coming year. Ouch! My council tax increase is £168. Do I need a financial adviser to tell me how to spend the extra £34?

JOhN SLOWLY, Crowborough, E. Sussex.