Sorry, this is more of a rant than an objective question...
I know Britain prides itself on the Welfare state, etc, is very proud of NHS, housing and other benefits for the poor. In these and other aspects, for better or worse, the UK government redistributes wealth effectively to provide these services.
How is it then that Britain fails its elderly so badly? I know this from experience from doing my retired US parent's tax returns for a few years. At the moment, Social Security pays out at a rate which makes UK National Insurance look like an embarrassment. National Insurance is a pittance and almost ensures the elderly in the UK will live in poverty.
Am I missing something?
Paul
