State pension goes above £10,000 - but has something got to give?

The state pension is getting a boost this week, meaning many pensioners will see their payments go above £200 per week or £10,000 per year for the first time.  The Government has also recently announced that it is delaying a decision on hiking up the state pension age to 68 until after the next election – perhaps influenced by protests across the channel.  Pension commentators said move would be 'incredibly unpopular', and likely 'political suicide'. Governments don’t like to upset retirees because they vote in high numbers – but maintaining the status quo is incredibly expensive. Has something ultimately got to give when it comes to the state pension age and maintaining the triple lock? On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost is joined by Tanya Jefferies and Helen Crane to discuss. We also look at one lucky This is Money reader who is getting an even bigger rise, seeing his pension go up by more than 16 per cent. It sounds like great news – but he is wondering whether it means he has been short-changed in the past.  Elsewhere, research this week has shown Britons are still dragging their feet when it comes to making a will.  The team looks at why it’s important, how to do it – and why it isn’t just about money.  Etoro’s Sam North provides the latest update on the markets as we head into the long weekend.  We also discuss why broadband companies have been able to get away with ignoring instructions from regulator Ofcom to make switching easier for customers.  It told them two years ago that they needed to make it possible to swap providers in just one day – so why are most of us still left languishing without an internet connection for up to two weeks?    Finally, do you fancy a sabbatical from work to travel? Some big firms are offering the extended time off as a perk to long-serving staff – but would your boss let you go, and how would you afford it? 

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