https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Business-Seller-Board/UK-Retail-sales-down-1-1-in-October/m-p/7964056#M340628 <P>I'm not saying that it's only pensioners that are suffering, just that my buyers are probably mostly pensioners and that they seem to have stopped spending.&nbsp; I'm sure that many families and younger people are struggling as well and are also cutting back on their discretional spending as bills rise.</P><P>&nbsp;</P><P>One explanation is possibly that most younger people are either employed or running businesses.&nbsp; They will either be getting regular pay slips or, if running a business have their eyes on sales and like you, know that their income is falling as they pay more tax.</P><P>&nbsp;</P><P>I'm probably fairly typical of pensioners.&nbsp; I get the State Pension that never sends out any pay advice beyond an annual letter to tell me what I will be paid each month for the following year.&nbsp; I'm lucky enough to also have a private works pension, they also send me an annual letter to tell how much it will increase the following year and an end of year P60 to tell me how much tax I paid.&nbsp; But nothing in between.</P><P>&nbsp;</P><P>Many pensioners will just be aware that money is getting tighter, but without the regular figures to fully understand why.</P><P>Freezing the tax thresholds is insidious IMO in that the tax take rises but in a way that is all but invisible to many who are paying it.&nbsp;</P> Fri, 28 Nov 2025 15:42:17 GMT theelench 2025-11-28T15:42:17Z