At present there does not seem anything equable in this country. For example, I am about to reach that golden age when I thought I would enjoy something free, a TV licence. To my dismay this will not be forthcoming.

From the age of 17 I worked until I was 60, no extended sick leave, no child allowance initially, no out of work benefits as I had a husband in work when I was made redundant.

Luckily I found a job after a lot of searching fairly quickly, no thanks to any help from job centres. Had I taken a different attitude to work I could have sat on my not so substantial rump and enjoyed the pleasures to be had from life; evenings out etc.

But instead, like many others, I wanted to and was lucky to enjoy work, juggling child care initially and parents’ needs latterly. Now many people are cashing in on pensions in order to enjoy life.

There’s nothing wrong with this philosophy except a few will need help in their old age to pay the bills. Where exactly do they think this help is coming from? Some of us have planned for the future and are paying the price of those that can’t and wouldn’t work; those that have had equity release on their pensions and will need top ups to meet the-cost of living.

Where exactly do these people think that money will come from? Certainly not their nest eggs. The question being - should the workers help the shirkers? Should those trying to manage on minimum wage have less than those on benefits?

Before I start a riot I am looking at those that are in and can work, not the people who cannot for various reasons, they have my sympathy and I’m sure yours as we are all fortunate to be able to work.

Whether we get a free TV licence is not that important especially as I rarely watch the box, the news broadcast is only what the BBC and ultimately the government decides we should hear and know about.

Most programmes are a regurgitation and seen so many times, that without the sound even a seven year old can supply the words. What, for the future, should be spelt out is that we should be responsible and accountable where we can.

Many of the soldiers 75 years ago gave up their tomorrow so that we could have our today.

Why are we not heeding these words? Why are we frittering away what so many gave us?

Heather Robinson

Bridport Road

Dorchester