The island’s welfare system needs to change.
That was the message from Treasury Minister Eddie Teare MHK as he hosted a series of public meetings on the future of the state pensions and benefits system.
There was good turn-out of more than 50 people at the first meeting on Monday in the lecture hall at the Manx Museum.
Mr Teare suggested there should be three principles behind our social security system - addressing poverty, to be simple and understandable and to encourage people to work where they can.
‘It has to be better to be in work than on benefits during your working life if your health and physical circumstances allow. Our social security system needs to change,’ he said.
The four public meetings held this week form part of the consultation on proposals by consultants Ci65 first published last November.
Ci65’s 640-page report said a ‘bold transformation’ of the system is needed as it is out of date, has not kept pace with the ageing population and has become far too complex.
Among its recommendations is a new flat rate state pension of £180 a week. But we will have to work longer to get it, with the retirement age rising above that in the UK. People born today may have to work until they are 74.
The last meeting will be held tonight (Thursday) at Peel Centenary Centre, Peel, starting at 7.30pm.
Celtic League director of information Bernard Moffatt has written to Chief Minister Allan Bell urging him to widen the consultation to include an island-wide survey ‘on this issue of critical public concern’.