You keep saying I have no idea what it is to be hard up.  You don't read my posts at all do you :)  I married in the mid 80's as it happens, not that long ago, in fact 21 years and I have already given that information :rolleyes:  As I said, my husband was not earning much at all.  We did without what many people would regard as essentials, holidays, cars, TVs, time makes me forget no more than it does you although as I have already said all of the above in one form or another I am beginning to wonder about your short term memory ;).

>if you had been out at work and raising a family, had other commitments you may not have done so well

If I had been out at work I would have been doing better surely :rolleyes:
My sisters were raising families at the same period but working and had all the things a family could need.
Working full time though would not be a bar to investing well, you can do it equally well in your spare time, in fact my sister in law has done just that, it just takes reading widely and understanding what is going on in the world ;)
As I say, the figures only link death to cold whether there is any connection to poverty is not so clear.  To be honest, although the figures represent many families sadly bereaved they do not represent a very large proportion of the retired population of Britain do they and if the pension was so dire as to be the principle cause you would expect it to be higher.  However, as I am the one arguing for taxing the rich, including myself ;) particularly on windfalls they they haven't done anything to earn, in order to maintain a better future for the elderly I can't understand why you keep taking this tack.
People can worship who they like and my desire not to does not make it rubbishing them.
Yes, I do know what you are saying I just can't understand why.
You are really puzzling me with this one though, what are my qualifications and what is my little game?

Where is the direct connection with these figures and poverty though, elderly people die of self neglect for instance even when they have thousands in the bank because of simply failing faculties not to mention dying of natural causes in cold weather due to respiratory complaints etc.
The pension itself is low but anyone relying entirely on this at present will be entitled to several other benefits and the Government has made it clear that people must make provision in the future for additional private pensions. Of course there would be even less chance of money available if taxes on the wealthy were reduced!

look on the website isabel, it explains it all there far better than I can.

Course the govn want us to take more insurance out, more tax lol

I know what I said about my marriage, in fact I have said it several times.  People with long happy marriages are often asked what they think the secret of their success so why should I not give mine, but my comment above :-

>Good grief where has that come from?

is actually referring to what on earth has this to do with the price of fish or more pertinently this thread?  I can think of nothing other than your personal antipathy towards me for bringing it up.