[Politics] The Labour Government

[A1X]

Really?

I'm not so sure.

Yes, that’s why it’s continuing for those on pension credits. Have you actually read what the policy is?

 

[Bozza]

Please don’t put words in my mouth, I never said it was.

I have accused those who have chosen to make an issue out of Starmer’s son sitting his GCSEs in peace and being in a box after Arsenal moved him for security reasons so he could continue to watch games he pays to watch of faux outrage. Very different issues.

And I didn't say you did.

The optics of Starmer being on the take with his freebies aren't good for him as public opinion is clearly demonstrating, but I don't give a toss about that.

So let's get back to the cruel and crass apparent targeting of the old, poor and vulnerable, shall we?

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Please don’t put words in my mouth, I never said it was.

I have accused those who have chosen to make an issue out of Starmer’s son sitting his GCSEs in peace and being in a box after Arsenal moved him for security reasons so he could continue to watch games he pays to watch of faux outrage. Very different issues.

I was referring to WFA - so were you in the post I responded to.

Look the LP have got a hell of a mess to clear up, but the withdrawl of WFA is a huge OG

 

[Bozza]

Yes, that’s why it’s continuing for those on pension credits. Have you actually read what the policy is?

There's only one person who seems to not really understand the impacts of this, and it's not @Mellor 3 Ward 4

You're probably right that most of the 10 million don't need it, but a small percentage of a large number can still be quite a big number.

If 80% of people don't need it, 2 million do.
If 90% won't miss it, 1 million will.

And, as stated, the government aren't offering any mitigation.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Yes, that’s why it’s continuing for those on pension credits. Have you actually read what the policy is?

Yes.

My 87 year old mother in law is affected by it.

(Very) small private pension takes her over the threshold.

Oh, Guiness Boy - she put her heating on yesterday - is that OK with you?

 

[jcdenton08]

Yes, that’s why it’s continuing for those on pension credits. Have you actually read what the policy is?

The issue is, as you full well know, the huge number of pensioners entitled to pension credits who aren’t claiming them, who have outright relied on the WFA to keep the hearing on in winter. This figure is upwards of 800,000 people who are quite literally on the poverty line, and who absolutely depend on that money.

Springing this surprise cut late in the year to vulnerable people who absolutely need that money is abhorrent and typical more of “nasty Tories” than “for the people” Labour. It’s a nasty cut, horribly timed and with little care as to the harm it will cause. It’s Tory through and through.

Have you actually looked at the process for applying for Pension Credits yourself? It’s really not a straightforward single form, it is a complicated process.

Now imagine you’re in your 80’s, living alone because of life partner has died. Imagine you, like the majority of very elderly people are not au-fait with online forms, can just about make it to the shops and post office, but have no clue how to even apply for Pension Credits. Let alone obtain the correct forms, fill them out and send them back along with the photocopies of supporting evidence they need.

All in the space of a few weeks before the temperatures drop.

It’s heartless. It absolutely stinks and the only people I’ve seen even attempt to defend it are diehard Labour supporters (and statistically speaking even the majority of those are against it).

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

It’s heartless. It absolutely stinks and the only people I’ve seen even attempt to defend it are diehard Labour supporters (and statistically speaking even the majority of those are against it).

And Conference voted against it yesterday....

Vote nicely postponed until KS was no longer there.

 

[Bozza]

Yes, that’s why it’s continuing for those on pension credits. Have you actually read what the policy is?

I know from your years on here and your posts that you’re a decent sort, so I can only guess that you’re not fully aware of the nuances.

The headline “Taking WFP away from rich pensioners whilst allowing the poorest to continue to receive it” doesn’t tell the full story.

I’ve outlined the two groups who are left vulnerable by this.

@jcdenton08 explains it very well: the execution of this looks and smalls like a Tory policy, being punitive to the poor. That it’s a Labour policy seems almost unbelievable.

If you can spare 10 minutes, Martin Lewis explains it well.

 

[LamieRobertson]

As much as I disagree with how they are implementing this, I believe the timing of the announcement was the right thing to do as...

1. It gave people an opportunity to see if they were able to access Pension Credits and, then, WFP before winter.
2. It allowed others some time to prepare and adjust knowing they were not going to be getting the payment.

Delaying the announcement until the end of October budget would have given almost no time for either of those.

It’s a good point and as I understand it the qualifying week for the allowance has now passed re this years payment…..or can they backdate the benefit?

Edit …qualifying week for eligibility ended 22/9 …pension credit claim can be backdated by up to three months

 

[Bry Nylon]

Massive OG from the Labour Party as it is all people are talking about - and rightly so - and is just going to get worse and worse as it gets colder.

Considering they have been paying Sue Gray £170'000pa to prepare them for Government, if this is the quality of her output I'd be asking for the money back.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Yes.

My 87 year old mother in law is affected by it.

(Very) small private pension takes her over the threshold.

Oh, Guiness Boy - she put her heating on yesterday - is that OK with you?

Call him Jack …I’m alright Jack

 

[Weststander]

Massive OG from the Labour Party as it is all people are talking about - and rightly so - and is just going to get worse and worse as it gets colder.

Considering they have been paying Sue Gray £170'000pa to prepare them for Government, if this is the quality of her output I'd be asking for the money back.

I see you've been briefing the Guardian .

https://www.theguardian.com/politic...r-pressure-to-get-a-grip-on-sue-gray-tensions

 

[Bry Nylon]

Have you actually looked at the process for applying for Pension Credits yourself? It’s really not a straightforward single form, it is a complicated process.

Now imagine you’re in your 80’s, living alone because of life partner has died. Imagine you, like the majority of very elderly people are not au-fait with online forms, can just about make it to the shops and post office, but have no clue how to even apply for Pension Credits. Let alone obtain the correct forms, fill them out and send them back along with the photocopies of supporting evidence they need.

All in the space of a few weeks before the temperatures drop.

Absolutely. Those who glibly say that relatively poor and elderly people who are entitled to Pension Credits but not currently in receipt of them should 'just apply' over the next few weeks are utterly clueless.

(HMRC f***ed up my car allowance on my P11D this year and that took forever to sort out on the Government Gateway, using smart phones apps I had to download, facial recognition software, 17 digit reference numbers and god knows what else. I almost gave up the will to live and I was just trying to correct their error - not make a claim for something. God knows what the process is like for claiming Pension Credits. Really easy and straightforward for non-digitally enabled 85 year olds, I should imagine...)

 

[Guinness Boy]

oh dear oh dear ....i guess it must be hard for you to accept all this ….have you tried therapy

Not sure what you're on about but WFP was paid from November onward and any bill sent NOW! won't have heating on.

I'm not in favour of the policy either unless accompanied by energy companies reducing tarifs for the elderly. Let's see what happens in the budget. But, for clarity, I'm not defending the policy, I'm pointing out your hyperbole.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Not sure what you're on about but WFP was paid from November onward and any bill sent NOW! won't have heating on.

I'm not in favour of the policy either unless accompanied by energy companies reducing tarifs for the elderly. Let's see what happens in the budget. But, for clarity, I'm not defending the policy, I'm pointing out your hyperbole.

My hyperbole? Because I put one word in capitals
Everyone knows your tactics of trying to deflect attention away from the topic
What are you on about “ was paid in November” I think we are all referring to what’s due this November/December …

..then of course there is your example of Ethel ..,which other posters have already discredited…you are all bluster sunshine

 

[rippleman]

The issue is, as you full well know, the huge number of pensioners entitled to pension credits who aren’t claiming them, who have outright relied on the WFA to keep the hearing on in winter. This figure is upwards of 800,000 people who are quite literally on the poverty line, and who absolutely depend on that money.

Springing this surprise cut late in the year to vulnerable people who absolutely need that money is abhorrent and typical more of “nasty Tories” than “for the people” Labour. It’s a nasty cut, horribly timed and with little care as to the harm it will cause. It’s Tory through and through.

Have you actually looked at the process for applying for Pension Credits yourself? It’s really not a straightforward single form, it is a complicated process.

Now imagine you’re in your 80’s, living alone because of life partner has died. Imagine you, like the majority of very elderly people are not au-fait with online forms, can just about make it to the shops and post office, but have no clue how to even apply for Pension Credits. Let alone obtain the correct forms, fill them out and send them back along with the photocopies of supporting evidence they need.

All in the space of a few weeks before the temperatures drop.

It’s heartless. It absolutely stinks and the only people I’ve seen even attempt to defend it are diehard Labour supporters (and statistically speaking even the majority of those are against it).

After my father died, my mum's reduced income meant that she was entitled to Pension Credits. Blimey, they don't make it easy to claim. (Same as tax credits, PIP and other benefits.) My mum would never have been able to get the forms completed without my sister's help.

It's almost as if successive governments and civil servants have designed the processes to claim benefits in such a complex, confusing and convoluted way as to act as a build-in deterrent.

Totally echo every word in your post.

 

[rippleman]

Massive OG from the Labour Party as it is all people are talking about - and rightly so - and is just going to get worse and worse as it gets colder.

Considering they have been paying Sue Gray £170'000pa to prepare them for Government, if this is the quality of her output I'd be asking for the money back.

But at least it stops people talking about Starmer's free clobber and his inability to understand he can actually PAY for his corporate hospitality at the Emirates.

Whilst suffering pensioners are rummaging through charity shops to find a winter coat to wear at home when they can't afford the heating, Starmer's got no worries. He will be handed his winter wardrobe gratis.

 

[cjd]

Call him Jack …I’m alright Jack

They're not quite the words I was thinking of to call Guinness Boy.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I guess it depends on whether people want separate cheerleading and critiquing threads or have it all mashed together.

It would certainly be an interesting Venn diagram of the cheerleaders and critics across the cheerleading and critiquing threads

 

[Guinness Boy]

It would certainly be an interesting Venn diagram of the cheerleaders and critics across the cheerleading and critiquing threads


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It's almost like a small clique or echo chamber are taking over threads and making the board unusable for others.