The pension system, it is generally agreed, is in a mess. With an election looming, politicians are searching for solutions. Alan Johnson, secretary of state for work and pensions, wants an attractive policy for Labour's manifesto. He's keen on the "citizen's pension". A citizen's what? Stripped of the vogu-ish labelling, this would be a benefit for all pensioners who have lived in Britain long enough to qualify. If they pass this residency test, they would automatically receive a pension that aims to prevent poverty in old age. The idea has been borrowed from New Zealand.
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