Why should a fireman be able to retire at 50?

dave50 | 08:03 Fri 10th Aug 2012 | Society & Culture

72 Answers

He is the husband of a friend of ours and he is a fireman and is 50 next year and can retire on full pension. He is always on about the holidays he will be taking and how he will find himself another part time job to earn a bit of extra money to fund all these holidays he is planning. It makes me angry to know that I as a tax payer will be funding his lavish lifestyle for perhaps the next 30 years. It is disgusting and grossly unfair. There are lots of tasks firemen can do within the fire service that they can carry out as they get older, there is no excuse.

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factor-fiction

He can claim a company pension but not a state pension.
It was in the terms and conditions of the job. You/your husband could have applied to join the fire service if you'd wanted these benefits.
He will have been contributing a fair chunk of his salary into the scheme over the years.
His pension will certainly be less than he was earning as a fireman.
I doubt very much he'll have a lavish lifestyle but he'll benefit from having planned for his future.

berniecuddles

you sound like bryan ferry-jealous guy he has earned the right!

factor-fiction

If it's any consolation I'm sure the review of public sector pensions will reduce the pension benefits of firemen who haven't retired yet

ChuckFickens

why would you think that a private pension (which he has paid into during his working life) is funded by your taxes.

Tilly2

I think it's to do with the stress of the job and the fact that they have to be very fit. I think the police have the same terms and conditions.

furrypusscat

Why shouldn't he retire. He has spent his time in the service risking his life to save others and has already been said, he will have put money into his pension to plan for his future. Good luck to him.

Sipowicz

Beware the green eyed monster!

douglas9401

You're setting the "disgusting and grossly unfair" bar a bit low there dave50.
It's in their terms and conditions of service, put the green eyed monster back in the box.

Mosaic

Dave - quite a lot of firemen don't make it to 50 because they die saving people. So, if they are prepared to go into burning buildings on the behalf of society, I am happy to fund their hedonistic lives of partying long into old age.

jomifl

How many times does a fire engine need polishing? Why keep someone one full pay when they can be retired on less? It makes financial and practical sense.

NOX

you aren't funding him for anything Dave50, HE has paid into his private pension not you, HE is funding it. You won't be funding him til he hits state pension age, and he will be funding you yours just as much.
If you are jealous he can retire at 50 then maybe you should have become a fireman and repeatedly risked your life- then you could have, always assuming you lived long enough of course:(

dotty.

I have 3 private pensions from 3 previous jobs going back 36 years, I would have retired a few years ago and drawn on them if i had wanted to, wish I had really, i am envious of him being able to make that decision but good luck to him, if he lives until he is in the 90s he'll be very bored.

ummmm

So, someone goes to work everyday and potentially risked their life and you begrudge them a pension that they paid for?

ChuckFickens

Although if ever you're in the position you need rescuing from a burning building by the fire service be sure to tell them your views about how lucky they are.

Sqad

Just as a sideline.....although I do agree with the posters......I have lived all my life and NEVER seen a house on fire.

bednobs

i'm not entirely sure there are that many jobs in the fire service that are non-operational (at least not enough for everyone who reaches 50) I wondered what these "lots" of tasks are dave? Yes i would imagine there are organisational and admin jobs to do, but i would imagine they are already being done by organisational and admin people (who don't have the benefits of retiring at 50), not by people who put out fires.