A Pension Paradox
SIR,—As another of the humorously termed " self-employed " clergy, I have just been in the same circumstances as your correspondent, the Rev. R. M. French (though I confess that the question of cheaper tobacco had not occurred to me). But I suggest to Mr. French that our plight is not so serious as he thinks. If he refers to National Insurance Leaflet, N.I.28 (or finds a properly informed person at his local Insurance Office), he will find that on reaching age 65 and wishing to qualify for pension at age 734 he need only pay at the Class 3 rate-4s. 8d. weekly instead of 6s. 2d. I do not wonder at Mr. French's confusion. I rang up our local Insurance Office to enquire what would be my new contribution. The lady who answered the telephone confidently assured me it would still be 6s. 2d. ; dissatisfied, I asked for higher authority, and a pleasant male voice decisively stated that 4s. 8d. was the figure. When my new card arrived it asked for 4s. 6d. stamps! As a good Scot I accepted the lowest estimate, but with the uneasy feeling that I may yet be asked for a further 2d...weekly and to pay up arrears as well.—Yours faithfully,
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