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This isn't about software engineers, it's more about the nurses, GPs, teachers and everyone else who has said "well, sod this for a game of soldiers" and retire

This isn't about software engineers, it's more about the nurses, GPs, teachers and everyone else who has said "well, sod this for a game of soldiers" and retired early rather than be paid to little to be the ablative armour of a system stretched to breaking.

bryanlarsen 4y ago
According to the article, it's about people who stopped working due to health issues.
- InitialLastName 4y ago
  Both of those can be true. Health issues are a spectrum; depending on how little I like my job, I might make a different decision about whether a particular health issue rises above the threshold of "I don't want to do this any more".
  - cjrp 4y ago
    Stressful job = long-term sick due to stress, presumably.
Moissanite 4y ago
> rather than be paid to little to be the ablative armour of a system stretched to breaking Love that imagery. Although I work for a tech consulting firm rather than having a real/useful job like those you describe, I would apply the same sentiment. The difference is that while public services are being worn away at an accelerated rate due to a lack of maintenance, tech is like The Bus That Couldn't Slow Down - hurtling along with bits (and people) flying off in all directions, desperate to avoid going below that critical speed.
- ed_elliott_asc 4y ago
  Consultancies are, working directly is very different. When there is only one interested party and goal it is much less stressful - when everyone wants a piece of the pie it becomes much more complicated (and late, always late)
dogma1138 4y ago
For many NHS workers there is even a stronger incentive not to work at least not for the NHS. The UK has a life time pension allowance once you reach it there is a huge tax penalty. NHS workers have a defined benefit scheme on which you can easily reach the LTA within a few decades especially as a doctor. Once you do that you are stuck with a massive tax penalty that makes it utterly pointless to work because your take home can be literal pennies as the tax liability after reaching the LTA is 60% which in a DB pension would be added to your annual tax bill unlike a defined contribution pension which will simply be raided by the HMRC when you retire. Also previously HMRC has raided pension funds firstly by introducing the LTA then by shrinking it the LTA now is circa £1.2M the LTA of those who retired a decade ago it was £2.5M… So if you can afford to retire early you also are incentivized to do so because it locks down your pension and secures it from any future raids by the government. I can’t stress how terrible and backwards the tax system in the UK is. It forces a tiny minority to pay for most of the tax burden whilst providing them for absolutely no benefits in return since nearly every benefit in the UK is means tested and the bastards know how to pay the least so they conveniently chose which benefits are means tested based on the highest earner in each household. So if your partner works whelp no unemployment or housing benefit for your most likely… someone in your household earns over £50K? Well no child allowance… At £100K you also lose 30 hours of free childcare per week and tax free childcare I known people that took a pay cut and turned down bonus payments because those benefits can easily be worth £20-30K of salary at 40% marginal tax rate in London.

bryanlarsen 4y ago

According to the article, it's about people who stopped working due to health issues.

InitialLastName 4y ago
Both of those can be true. Health issues are a spectrum; depending on how little I like my job, I might make a different decision about whether a particular health issue rises above the threshold of "I don't want to do this any more".
- cjrp 4y ago
  Stressful job = long-term sick due to stress, presumably.

Moissanite 4y ago

> rather than be paid to little to be the ablative armour of a system stretched to breaking Love that imagery. Although I work for a tech consulting firm rather than having a real/useful job like those you describe, I would apply the same sentiment. The difference is that while public services are being worn away at an accelerated rate due to a lack of maintenance, tech is like The Bus That Couldn't Slow Down - hurtling along with bits (and people) flying off in all directions, desperate to avoid going below that critical speed.

ed_elliott_asc 4y ago
Consultancies are, working directly is very different. When there is only one interested party and goal it is much less stressful - when everyone wants a piece of the pie it becomes much more complicated (and late, always late)

dogma1138 4y ago

For many NHS workers there is even a stronger incentive not to work at least not for the NHS. The UK has a life time pension allowance once you reach it there is a huge tax penalty. NHS workers have a defined benefit scheme on which you can easily reach the LTA within a few decades especially as a doctor. Once you do that you are stuck with a massive tax penalty that makes it utterly pointless to work because your take home can be literal pennies as the tax liability after reaching the LTA is 60% which in a DB pension would be added to your annual tax bill unlike a defined contribution pension which will simply be raided by the HMRC when you retire. Also previously HMRC has raided pension funds firstly by introducing the LTA then by shrinking it the LTA now is circa £1.2M the LTA of those who retired a decade ago it was £2.5M… So if you can afford to retire early you also are incentivized to do so because it locks down your pension and secures it from any future raids by the government. I can’t stress how terrible and backwards the tax system in the UK is. It forces a tiny minority to pay for most of the tax burden whilst providing them for absolutely no benefits in return since nearly every benefit in the UK is means tested and the bastards know how to pay the least so they conveniently chose which benefits are means tested based on the highest earner in each household. So if your partner works whelp no unemployment or housing benefit for your most likely… someone in your household earns over £50K? Well no child allowance… At £100K you also lose 30 hours of free childcare per week and tax free childcare I known people that took a pay cut and turned down bonus payments because those benefits can easily be worth £20-30K of salary at 40% marginal tax rate in London.