Viking Warrior Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 Any servicemen out their who have been affected by the liberals investigative approach that we have been overpaid our pensions? I havent received any letters from either the goverment or Xafinity. So do not know what and how much I may have been overpaid. Oh and for the wise ones out there , the military pension is peanuts giving the length of service I gave to queen and country. If I knew how to play the benefits game. I could earn more in a week than I get for my montly military Pension. Must be uncle ruperts fault;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponty Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 Did I hear this morning that any overpayments are not going to be reclaimed? That's gotta be a first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dark Sotonic Mills Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 Did I hear this morning that any overpayments are not going to be reclaimed? That's gotta be a first. Yep, considering a bunch of OAPs have had thousands clawed back without even knowing that they might have been overpaid. (BBC Watchdog last week) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponty Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 Yep, considering a bunch of OAPs have had thousands clawed back without even knowing that they might have been overpaid. (BBC Watchdog last week) Just goes to prove that upsetting pensioners is alright but you ought to think twice before upsetting anyone with a knowledge of firearms and explosives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge too far Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 Just goes to prove that upsetting pensioners is alright but you ought to think twice before upsetting anyone with a knowledge of firearms and explosives. Or nurses who know how to administer lethal jabs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge too far Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 Unless the fog outside is getting to my brain, I think it works out to about £1K per pensioner. It's good they won't have to pay it back but I think, from April, their pensions will be reduced to what they should have been. I reckon the private company administering the scheme should pay the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldNick Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 where were the auditors? Who is in charge of overseeing these things. What with the banks not knowing how to run businesses and the govenment allowing these co## ups with the publics money whatever next Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge too far Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 where were the auditors? Who is in charge of overseeing these things. What with the banks not knowing how to run businesses and the govenment allowing these co## ups with the publics money whatever next I think the private contractor running the pension scheme had been in place for decades. I guess one small error in one program has been compounded over the years :smt102. It's affecting approx. 5% of those pensioners, not all of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldNick Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 I think the private contractor running the pension scheme had been in place for decades. I guess one small error in one program has been compounded over the years :smt102. It's affecting approx. 5% of those pensioners, not all of them.Will the auditor be cut then? A mistake that big really is not something that should be allowed to go by. I wonder how many other of these things are out there to be found out. It is a bizarre time in our lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge too far Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 Will the auditor be cut then? A mistake that big really is not something that should be allowed to go by. I wonder how many other of these things are out there to be found out. It is a bizarre time in our lives. at Nick having a subtle pop at me I'm not a 'financial' auditor, sweetie, so you can't blame me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Bognor Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 Unless the fog outside is getting to my brain, I think it works out to about £1K per pensioner. It's good they won't have to pay it back but I think, from April, their pensions will be reduced to what they should have been. I reckon the private company administering the scheme should pay the difference. But the private company (Xafinity Paymaster, the former Paymaster Agency) was a public sector company until it was privatised in 1997, so the majority of the overpayments occured under public ownership. So two thirds of the **** up was down to the public sector. However, this is a good example where the private sector can be shown to be equally as useless as the public sector. Over to you BTF The pensions in question are handled by a company called Xafinity Paymaster, the former Paymaster Agency privatised in 1997 and which now handles some 5 per cent of public sector pension payments as well as payment contracts for some of the UK's largest companies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge too far Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 But the private company (Xafinity Paymaster, the former Paymaster Agency) was a public sector company until it was privatised in 1997, so the majority of the overpayments occured under public ownership. So two thirds of the **** up was down to the public sector. However, this is a good example where the private sector can be shown to be equally as useless as the public sector. Over to you BTF The pensions in question are handled by a company called Xafinity Paymaster, the former Paymaster Agency privatised in 1997 and which now handles some 5 per cent of public sector pension payments as well as payment contracts for some of the UK's largest companies. According to their website, Xafinity is a private company founded in 1836 :confused: http://www.xafinity.com/Microsites/Xafinity-Paymaster/Home.aspx The overpayments average out at £3.70 per month per pensioner :shock: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7784883.stm I do have to laugh at Cameron's comments about the government 'allowing it to go on for so long when they'd been in power for 11 years'. This overpayment has been going on for 30 years. I'm surprised every other government in power missed it as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponty Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 He's right though. He may be as clueless as the rest of them but he's definitely right about Labour allowing this, amongst other things, to go unchecked during their entire term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weston Super Saint Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 The overpayments average out at £3.70 per month per pensioner :shock: £3.70 per month, per pensioner!!! They should never have missed such HUGE sums. Lowe Out!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge too far Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 £3.70 per month, per pensioner!!! They should never have missed such HUGE sums. Lowe Out!!! Bang go my retirement plans when my NHS pension delivers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weston Super Saint Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 Bang go my retirement plans when my NHS pension delivers You'll have to work what, maybe a whole extra week to make up for it :shock: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge too far Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 You'll have to work what, maybe a whole extra week to make up for it :shock: 5 minutes more like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldNick Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 at Nick having a subtle pop at me I'm not a 'financial' auditor, sweetie, so you can't blame me No just a tease BTF. I have a bit of a problem with the cosy public sector as I hate seeing the waste of all our taxes.I know there are many fantastic people in the sector and I have no problem with them but there seems to be a culture of mismanagement and squandering money on jobsworth schemes. I understand that is generalisation, but it is such a massive animal it is hard not to generalise. It will never change, I cant see any government ever having ther guts to take the civil service on. The government wont rock the boat as the inconveinient governmental mistakes will become the potential to be leaks.The classic case of you scratch my back etc As for you BTF I have faith that you do a cracking job.I do hope you find some massive mistakes and bring the instigators to task, and not allow them to go on early retirement and a massive pension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge too far Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 No just a tease BTF. ...... As for you BTF I have faith that you do a cracking job.I do hope you find some massive mistakes and bring the instigators to task, and not allow them to go on early retirement and a massive pension. Six people, including a local authority Chief Executive, have 'left the organisation' as a result of some investigations I've done this year. Unfortunately, I can only report on what I find. It's up to the councils concerned as to whether people are allowed to take 'early retirement'. I'm not sure that I'm entirely proud of this record as the people involved were 'buck stoppers' who carried the can for the mistakes of their juniors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weston Super Saint Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 I'm not sure that I'm entirely proud of this record as the people involved were 'buck stoppers' who carried the can for the mistakes of their juniors. If they'd trained them properly in the first place.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Bognor Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 No just a tease BTF. I have a bit of a problem with the cosy public sector as I hate seeing the waste of all our taxes.I know there are many fantastic people in the sector and I have no problem with them but there seems to be a culture of mismanagement and squandering money on jobsworth schemes. Indeed, which seems to be backed up by the latest scientific research..... Scientists Discover New Element, the Heaviest Yet Known to Science Lawrence Livermore Laboratories has discovered the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312. These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second, to take from 4 days to 4 years to complete. Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2- 6 years. It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each rerganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of morons promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass. When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons. Make of it what you will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Bognor Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 (edited) According to their website, Xafinity is a private company founded in 1836 :confused: http://www.xafinity.com/Microsites/Xafinity-Paymaster/Home.aspx The overpayments average out at £3.70 per month per pensioner :shock: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7784883.stm I do have to laugh at Cameron's comments about the government 'allowing it to go on for so long when they'd been in power for 11 years'. This overpayment has been going on for 30 years. I'm surprised every other government in power missed it as well If you look at the end of the first paragraph..... http://www.xafinity.com/Microsites/Xafinity-Paymaster/About/Executive-Team/David-Nunn.aspx It says they were privatised in 1997 http://archive.treasury.gov.uk/pub/text/press96/p116_96.txt http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199900/cmselect/cmtreasy/154/cor15406.htm Don't you just love Google? Apparently it was sold to Hogg Robinson and EDS and it became Xafinity Edited 16 December, 2008 by Johnny Bognor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge too far Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 If you look at the end of the first paragraph..... http://www.xafinity.com/Microsites/Xafinity-Paymaster/About/Executive-Team/David-Nunn.aspx It says they were privatised in 1997 http://archive.treasury.gov.uk/pub/text/press96/p116_96.txt Don't you just love Google? Yep, I've just googled Paymaster Agency too and found the link you've shown. It is a tad disingenuous of Xafinity to claim to have been fouded in 1836 when in fact it was the Paymaster General which was started then and, as you say, was privatised by John Major's government in 1997. You would have thought, during that privatisation process, that someone in government would have noticed the overpayment - which has been going on since 1978 - during the due diligence period. I'm sorry for misclaiming facts - I should have read more than the front page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
View From The Top Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 He's right though. He may be as clueless as the rest of them but he's definitely right about Labour allowing this, amongst other things, to go unchecked during their entire term. It also went unchecked through the Tory Reign Of Terror (1979 - 1997) or doesn't that count as it doesn't suit your political agenda? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponty Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 It also went unchecked through the Tory Reign Of Terror (1979 - 1997) or doesn't that count as it doesn't suit your political agenda? I don't have a political agenda tbh. I complained about the Tories, I complain about Labour and I will complain about whoever's next. It's actually the way of most people in the world. It just annoys me when everyone blames everything on a government that was ousted 11 years ago instead of taking responsibility for their own failings. And they ALL do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Bognor Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 (edited) You would have thought, during that privatisation process, that someone in government would have noticed the overpayment - which has been going on since 1978 - during the due diligence period. Not being cynical, but someone probably noticed the error and then started the privatisation process to bury it. I'm sorry for misclaiming facts - I should have read more than the front page No worries, did you like the scientific research? Edited 16 December, 2008 by Johnny Bognor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Bognor Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 (edited) ... Edited 16 December, 2008 by Johnny Bognor Should have used multi quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge too far Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 Not being cynical, but someone probably noticed the error and then started the privatisation process to bury it. No worries, did you like the scientific research? I LOVED it - even though it left me with egg on my face Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastleighSoulBoy Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 He's right though. He may be as clueless as the rest of them but he's definitely right about Labour allowing this, amongst other things, to go unchecked during their entire term. And I presume that prior to labour's ineptitude it was the Tory's ineptitude? All as blooming bad as one another (as if you didn't know!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastleighSoulBoy Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 Indeed, which seems to be backed up by the latest scientific research..... Scientists Discover New Element, the Heaviest Yet Known to Science Lawrence Livermore Laboratories has discovered the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312. These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second, to take from 4 days to 4 years to complete. Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2- 6 years. It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each rerganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of morons promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass. When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons. Make of it what you will A bit like Ronseal? It says what it does on the tin! I did find that description funny though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastleighSoulBoy Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 I don't have a political agenda tbh. I complained about the Tories, I complain about Labour and I will complain about whoever's next. It's actually the way of most people in the world. It just annoys me when everyone blames everything on a government that was ousted 11 years ago instead of taking responsibility for their own failings. And they ALL do that. 30 minus 11 = 19 so those Tories were inept for longer! Who would have believed that! (Apart, that is, from Robsk, BTF, myself and many others!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponty Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 He's right though. He may be as clueless as the rest of them but he's definitely right about Labour allowing this, amongst other things, to go unchecked during their entire term. And I presume that prior to labour's ineptitude it was the Tory's ineptitude? All as blooming bad as one another (as if you didn't know!) I know I don't have a political agenda tbh. I complained about the Tories, I complain about Labour and I will complain about whoever's next. It's actually the way of most people in the world. It just annoys me when everyone blames everything on a government that was ousted 11 years ago instead of taking responsibility for their own failings. And they ALL do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponty Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 30 minus 11 = 19 so those Tories were inept for longer! Who would have believed that! (Apart, that is, from Robsk, BTF, myself and many others!) Does that make Labour any less culpable though? I think not but all political parties hide behind arguments like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastleighSoulBoy Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 30 minus 11 = 19 so those Tories were inept for longer! Who would have believed that! (Apart, that is, from Robsk, BTF, myself and many others!) Does that make Labour any less culpable though? I think not but all political parties hide behind arguments like this. Yup, my comment did involve me removing my tongue from my cheek to mutter 'nah nah nah nah nah'. Just waiting for one of our far right thinking friends to come along, fingers in ears bellowing 'la la la I can't hear you!' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weston Super Saint Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 Yup, my comment did involve me removing my tongue from my cheek to mutter 'nah nah nah nah nah'. Just waiting for one of our far right thinking friends to come along, fingers in ears bellowing 'la la la I can't hear you!' I don't think anyone's going to argue that both Governments have made a f*ck up in this case - it's pretty obvious they have isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge too far Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 I don't think anyone's going to argue that both Governments have made a f*ck up in this case - it's pretty obvious they have isn't it? True - but it's all a storm in a teacup really. I mean, each pensioner receiving £3 too much per month. It just sounds a lot because it's been going on for 30 years. Interestingly, the Scottish government is going to continue to pay the 'wrong' pension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weston Super Saint Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 True - but it's all a storm in a teacup really. I mean, each pensioner receiving £3 too much per month. It just sounds a lot because it's been going on for 30 years. Interestingly, the Scottish government is going to continue to pay the 'wrong' pension. Even more of a storm in a teacup when you consider they aren't claiming back the last 30 years of over payments - which in the worst case scenario would be £1080. Just more sticks for them to beat each other with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastleighSoulBoy Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 True - but it's all a storm in a teacup really. I mean, each pensioner receiving £3 too much per month. It just sounds a lot because it's been going on for 30 years. Interestingly, the Scottish government is going to continue to pay the 'wrong' pension. As they said at the Profumo trial "They would, wouldn't they" (to paraphrase) as they get most (or all?) of their funding from . . . now just where do they get their funding? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastleighSoulBoy Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 I don't think anyone's going to argue that both Governments have made a f*ck up in this case - it's pretty obvious they have isn't it? It is to most of us, but the 'loony left bashers' on here may well think differently! (Not you Ponty, I know you are M.O.R.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponty Posted 16 December, 2008 Share Posted 16 December, 2008 There are roads that are some of my favourite places to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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