You are fleeced living in London.

A peak-time daily travelcard for me that will take me across London is £15, after 9.30 it drops to £8

If you get a black taxi from Waterloo/inner London then before you've even plonked your arse on the seat there's a £3 charge just for the privilege.

Overall the transport system in London is great, especially the Underground, I can get anywhere in London within an hour. But it's bloody expensive and don't get me started on the lack of personal space and some of the personalities you have to endure on your travels

Not in South london it's not.

Son has just started work near canary Wharf which as the crow flies is about 2 miles (if that)...he has to leave by about 7.20am to ensure getting there for 8.50.

And the minimum fare in a black taxi is £2.60...I think in a miniscab the minimum fare is £4.50/£5 so a lot of time black taxi is cheaper.

What is a middle class area these days anyway? My mate lives in a council flat in Chiswick (which is supposed to be a middle class/higher end area) - her flat was offered to her for 70k 5 years ago, it's now been offered again at 210k (reduced market value for council tenants), for a 2 bed council flat on an estate that's riddled with crime, all because of her postcode

re bus fares and school children, here in lincs if you attend a sixth form (school or college) you have to pay a set amount each term (at the mo its about £69) and everyone pays even those on low incomes/benefits - given that child benefit is rumoured to be axed for over 16's how can some families manage??

Bloody hell it takes him that long to get to work for such a short distance? I used to work in Camden and I could get there in 50 minutes from here, same when I worked in Marylebone.

And the £2.60 thing I rounded off to 3 quid cos I knew it was there or there abouts, but the clock does tick a lot faster!

Has come to the decision that Birmingham fares aren't that bad 

Thats outrageous when kids are more or less expected to stay on (to keep jobless figures down) and in a couple of years  (the current year 8/7) everyone will have to stay on till 18.

That's already come into effect hasn't it? Well, that's what I've told K anyway

Yeah K's year are the first year where it will be compulsory for them to stay on till 18.

people of 60 and on the basic state pension + pension credit = £130 a week, get as cold as  people of 65 or 70 on the basic state pension + pension credit.
I don't think it's that easy for older people to find work  once they are  in their mid 50's.
B & Q can't employ them all,lol 
And most of  these people retiring at 60(soon to be raised to 62 and then 68) have paid national insurance contributions for 40 years
And the winter fuel allowance was introduced in lieu of a rise in  pension rates.

OK... not quite there but still......     You'd not suggest telling the boss to ram it today then (as I want to)

Isn't normal retiring age 65 JB?

for blokes yes, but women  who were born before  a certain date can still retire at 60 , or could do.

ello kaffs,x

HI J x


Right.. I thought they were trying to bring us women into line (haha)  Wish I was 60 today...

i looked it up, if a woman was born before april 1950 she can still retire at 60, born after that and it's 62, the by increments to 65 and then  68 for everyone.

A woman at 60 won't get her state pension though till her husband retires at 65 i think....my mother in alw retired at 60 about 4 years ago but only got her works pension till her hsuband reached 65 and got his pension (even though he actually retired when she did and they moved to the coast, they just used her pension till they got the state one too).

You're not making my day any better, JB!

What if she's no husband Croc?   


I'm asking like I'm not gonna work till I die....

Well if she has no husband she'll get it when she retires....

i think that is dependent on which national insurance the woman paid, if any, if she paid the regular  national insurance stamp she qualifies in her own right, if  she paid none cos she didn't work, or paid the married womans one at a reduced rate she  doesn't qualify for the  full rate of state pension, but has to be assesed  on her hubs one when he reaches 65.

We dont Karma, think thats Ireland

And Wales....

I thought Scotland did Maybe I'm getting it confused with the scale free water It's been one of those days

No difference between water and prescriptions, yes i have those days too Karma, join the club