why are we forced to pay N,I,S, in our wages it should optional , surely going private is cheaper?

Answer 1

Actually, it IS optional - you just have to deposit something ridiculous like £10million with the government first to prove that you won't become a burden to the nation!

Answer 2

People who fail to pay their National Insurance Contributions are storing up serious problems for themselves, especially in later life. No matter what any political party may tell us now or in the future, the State Pension is never going to be worth much. The main attraction is that it is cheap to buy and includes everyone in the UK who pays NI.

The downside of not paying regularly into NI is that such a person would not be able to claim any benefits what-so-ever should their financial situation become really desperate. The future cannot be foretold, therefore it is vital to save up for the worst that could happen; unemployment, poverty, sickness and eventually a retirement without any income. The truth is that non-payment of NI contributions is not really an option.

My working life started in 1957 and in November of 2006 I became eligable for the State Pension. There are also lots of other benefits which come a persons way, once they pass 60, both men and women no longer pay for their prescriptions and here in London anyone in that age group can claim their FREEDOM PASS which gives them free travel after 9.30am Mon-Fri and anytime at weekends, on London buses, trains, tubes and the DLR.

In addition to all of the above, anyone reaching the age of 60 is entitled to an annual heating allowance, which for the present is about £200 for a single person. Two people living together in 'sin' would be able to claim a total of £400. Heating allowance is paid by the local council and not by central Gov.uk.

In April 07, the State Pension will go up by about 3.5% - not a massive increase but as we all know, beggers can't be choosers.

What the National Insurance Scheme does, is to pay for sickness benefits, the State Pension and any other benefits a person may be entitled to throughout their life - FROM CRADLE TO THE GRAVE.

While we are able bodied and part of the 'work force', we have a duty of care to those of our people, who through illness or injury at work, are unable to continue working. Likewise we must consider the elders of our communities and pay them a pension. In most cases, people of my generation, born during World Wat 2, have had to put up with a great deal of horror, rationing and shortages in general. No one expects a modern young generation to know of these things but they happened, believe me, I was there - the bombings and all the rest. Friends at school who did'nt come any more, because they got killed in an air raid.

Things don't get any better until you realize the enormous benefit which comes from paying NI on a regular basis.

How much would you be willing to pay for an ambulance to come and collect you from your house if you were too ill to walk or drive to the hospital yourself? You choose, £300, £400 or £500 - which? The ambulance alone in the private sector could cost as much as £500 plus in addition there's the cost of the bed at around £500 a night. What about the doctor's fee and the nurses and the tablets which are going to make you feel better? It all adds up to a sum so great, most of us simply could not afford it.

Be wise. The alternative to National Insurance is a situation faced by over 40 million Americans, who do not have Medical Insurance.

Answer 3

Same arguments as for taxes. You might not have kids, but still pay to build schools and hire teachers. You may never call the fire brigade, but you pay for them.

As a society, we pay taxes to support our community as much as ourselves. It isn't a quid pro quo - you don't get back everything you pay in; or sometimes, you get more out than you paid in. Either way, as long as the money is spent responsibly (and we control that by electing the right people) then we all have to share the burden of looking after the poor, the homeless and the disadvantaged.

Oh, and believe me you don't want the private system we have in the US. It costs me $25 just to see my GP. A referral to a specialist is $35; and every exam they do I pay 20% of the cost - for things like MRIs this is hundreds of dollars for every visit. For this 'service' I pay nearly $300 a month.

Answer 4

someone has to look after the under 10, the injured, the over 90s ....

but you're right, it should be that as long as we're all ensured to a suitable standard, we should be able to choose our providers. This system already exists with Germany's NHS krankenkassen, where it is actually accepted by ALL to be working well. But we cannot guarantee it would work that well if implemented badly on the regulation/policing side, or if causing a two-tier system.

Answer 5

Going private may be cheaper for a one-off but for a lifetime care plan, private will be much more expensive long term. It also covers a basic pension. If it were not compulsory, many would trust to luck and have no health cover whatsoever.

Answer 6

The important word is INSURANCE. Like all other insurance payments, it paid so that if something goes wrong in your life you'll have some protection.
Do you want to be like the US where your medical treatment depends on your insurance plan? Where only the highest paid can retire on a decent income?
Like car insurance you may never need it but only a fool would be without it.

Answer 7

Perhaps all things should be optional. Like patients being allowed to refuse medication, which cost nhs £yillions and £zillions, when it cleary does not work, and why cannot the nhs afford other drugs for cancer etc, which apparently do work? why am I answering a question with a question?

Answer 8

We pay NI contributions towards the NHS, Pensions and in the event we are made redundant the Jobseekers Allowance. If we didn't pay in to the system we wouldn't get any benefits.

Answer 9

those that opt out maybe in a position where they did not make alternative arrangements, eg health care, savinggs etc, thus they maybe in a position to NEED services which they cannot provide for themselves or thier family.

The UK has a very benevolent approach t helping those in need, and overall it works out best that people did pay NI.

There has to be money in the pot.

Answer 10

The problem is long standing, the money paid in over the years
was never invested there fore the pension scheme is bereft of money