Is the UK state pension unaffordable? | BBC Newscast

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New figures suggest the state pension will rise by 3.9% to up to £13,000 a year. The increase is based on earning figures as dictated by the triple lock, the policy the government uses to guarantee pension growth. The rise has reignited debates about the long-term affordability and generational fairness of state pensions which have seen costs balloon in recent years. Alex and James are joined by economics editor Faisal Islam who’s also been speaking to Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark about calls for greater AI safeguarding. Plus, the Thirlwall inquiry into how Lucy Letby was able to murder babies at the Countess of Chester hospital has delivered its findings, describing a "complete failure" to protect infants from harm. Michael Buchanan, social affairs correspondent, was at the inquiry and has been following the crisis in UK maternity care. 0:00 – Intro 1:10 – What is the triple lock? 3:26 – Is the triple lock affordable long-term? 4:22 – Is there a generational divide over pensions? 13:48 – Could the state pension become taxable? 15:59 – What are the recent AI warnings? 19:40 – Are AI firms talking up the risks? 22:54 – The Lucy Letby inquiry report 25:34 – How safeguarding failed at the hospital 29:00 – The hospital and government's response 34:01 – Where Letby's legal appeal stands Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news #BBCNews

Published 2026-09-16 · Watch on YouTube ↗
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