[Politics] The Labour Government

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Ok, perhaps I should have put “I personally would have no doubt…..”. I do not subscribe to the “they’re all the same“ view of politicians.
and to be honest I have long thought it ridiculous that we as a couple both received the winter fuel payment - I would have had no problem if the Tories had removed it, while realising that (as many on here have pointed out) there are pensioners who now will not receive it who do actually need it.

But the winter fuel allowance is being means tested now isn't it? I was not aware it has been abolished.

Indeed: "those not in receipt of Pension Credit will no longer receive the Winter Fuel Payment from this year onwards"

From the helpful Independent web page:

"The first thing anyone affected by the changes to the Winter Fuel Payment should do is check if they’re eligible for Pension Credit. If you are able to claim this benefit, it will now unlock the Winter Fuel Payment for you."

Research from Age UK shows that around 800,000 pensioners are missing out on the means-tested benefit. The charity recommends calling their helpline or using their handy benefits calculator to check their eligibility.

To qualify for Pension Credit, you must be above state pension age – currently 66 – and on a low income. It will top up your weekly income to either:

£218.15 if you’re single
£332.95 if you have a partner (shared jointly)
This works out at £11,343.8 a year if single, or a shared income of £17,313.4 for two."

So, if you know a vulnerable old person, why not speak to them to make sure they know how to navigate this? There is no need for anyone to have to turn their heating off so they can afford to eat.

And like with many things, if people who are not vulnerable and confused but are too lazy or stupid to sort themselves out, there will be yet more false narrative when others start claiming on their behalf that English people are being left behind while the government gives free houses to illegal Muslims.

(That research tool me a whole 2 minutes.)

 

[mwrpoole]

But the winter fuel allowance is being means tested now isn't it? I was not aware it has been abolished.

Indeed: "those not in receipt of Pension Credit will no longer receive the Winter Fuel Payment from this year onwards"

From the helpful Independent web page:

"The first thing anyone affected by the changes to the Winter Fuel Payment should do is check if they’re eligible for Pension Credit. If you are able to claim this benefit, it will now unlock the Winter Fuel Payment for you."

Research from Age UK shows that around 800,000 pensioners are missing out on the means-tested benefit. The charity recommends calling their helpline or using their handy benefits calculator to check their eligibility.

To qualify for Pension Credit, you must be above state pension age – currently 66 – and on a low income. It will top up your weekly income to either:

£218.15 if you’re single
£332.95 if you have a partner (shared jointly)
This works out at £11,343.8 a year if single, or a shared income of £17,313.4 for two."

So, if you know a vulnerable old person, why not speak to them to make sure they know how to navigate this? There is no need for anyone to have to turn their heating off so they can afford to eat.

And like with many things, if people who are not vulnerable and confused but are too lazy or stupid to sort themselves out, there will be yet more false narrative when others start claiming on their behalf that English people are being left behind while the government gives free houses to illegal Muslims.

(That research tool me a whole 2 minutes.)

So 800,000 pensioners now apply and get Pension Credit, unlocking the Winter Fuel Allowance. Surely this costs more overall than the savings made by means testing the allowance in the first place?!?

 

[loz]

So 800,000 pensioners now apply and get Pension Credit, unlocking the Winter Fuel Allowance. Surely this costs more overall than the savings made by means testing the allowance in the first place?!?

I have always thought child allowance and winter fuel allowance should be open to all who want it, but should be claimed, if you want / need it claim for it and you will get it.

If you don’t need or want it just don’t claim it….can remember Peter springfellow saying how ridiculous it was that as a millionaire he received £200 quid he didn’t need or want for fuel.
That maybe to simplistic but surly would not be too expensive to administer?

 

[mwrpoole]

I have always thought child allowance and winter fuel allowance should be open to all who want it, but should be claimed, if you want / need it claim for it and you will get it.

If you don’t need or want it just don’t claim it….can remember Peter springfellow saying how ridiculous it was that as a millionaire he received £200 quid he didn’t need or want for fuel.
That maybe to simplistic but surly would not be too expensive to administer?

Unfortunately any system that has to administer over 10m applications will cost the earth and not be worth it, even if its just a tick box to say you want it. I guess that's why the Govt have opted for Pension Credit qualification as it's quick and easy to do. I think they could have done it in the Tax system like Child Benefit, that way anyone with income over say £50k just doesn't get it. But perhaps that's an equally administrative nightmare as well.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

But the winter fuel allowance is being means tested now isn't it? I was not aware it has been abolished.

Indeed: "those not in receipt of Pension Credit will no longer receive the Winter Fuel Payment from this year onwards"

From the helpful Independent web page:

"The first thing anyone affected by the changes to the Winter Fuel Payment should do is check if they’re eligible for Pension Credit. If you are able to claim this benefit, it will now unlock the Winter Fuel Payment for you."

Research from Age UK shows that around 800,000 pensioners are missing out on the means-tested benefit. The charity recommends calling their helpline or using their handy benefits calculator to check their eligibility.

To qualify for Pension Credit, you must be above state pension age – currently 66 – and on a low income. It will top up your weekly income to either:

£218.15 if you’re single
£332.95 if you have a partner (shared jointly)
This works out at £11,343.8 a year if single, or a shared income of £17,313.4 for two."

So, if you know a vulnerable old person, why not speak to them to make sure they know how to navigate this? There is no need for anyone to have to turn their heating off so they can afford to eat.

And like with many things, if people who are not vulnerable and confused but are too lazy or stupid to sort themselves out, there will be yet more false narrative when others start claiming on their behalf that English people are being left behind while the government gives free houses to illegal Muslims.

(That research tool me a whole 2 minutes.)

Sorry, I probably wasn’t clear…… as usual.
no, it’s not being abolished. It will no longer be going to every pensioner……. Like me.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Sorry, I probably wasn’t clear…… as usual.
no, it’s not being abolished. It will no longer be going to every pensioner……. Like me.

Or me.

 

[Bob!]

Sorry, I probably wasn’t clear…… as usual.
no, it’s not being abolished. It will no longer be going to every pensioner……. Like me.

or me

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

So 800,000 pensioners now apply and get Pension Credit, unlocking the Winter Fuel Allowance. Surely this costs more overall than the savings made by means testing the allowance in the first place?!?

Not if 'millions' like me, who are comfortably off, lose their winter fuel allowance.

The people moaning about this have conveniently conflated the millions in the majority who don't need the benefit with the minority who do.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Not if 'millions' like me, who are comfortably off, lose their winter fuel allowance.

The people moaning about this have conveniently conflated the millions in the majority who don't need the benefit with the minority who do.

A bit like the 96% who won't be affected still getting angry about IHT ? I do wonder who it could be that persuades them that they should be so angry about it

 

[Chicken Run]

Whilst i agree wholeheartedly with the changes to the Winter Fuel Payments I can’t help think that if the previous government had done this, the usual crew on here would be going bat shit, “Cruel Evil Tories”

 

[Weststander]

So 800,000 pensioners now apply and get Pension Credit, unlocking the Winter Fuel Allowance. Surely this costs more overall than the savings made by means testing the allowance in the first place?!?

The means testing is in place already. 2.4m of the 3.2m eligible claim pension credit.

For 9.4m other state pensioners, the public purse will now save £b's.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Whilst i agree wholeheartedly with the changes to the Winter Fuel Payments I can’t help think that if the previous government had done this, the usual crew on here would be going bat shit, “Cruel Evil Tories”

The Tory means testing would probably be checking a list of donors, friends and family.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

The means testing is in place already. 2.4m of the 3.2m eligible claim pension credit.

For 9.4m other state pensioners, the public purse will now save £b's.

More eloquent and informed than my reply

 

[Bodian]

So 800,000 pensioners now apply and get Pension Credit, unlocking the Winter Fuel Allowance. Surely this costs more overall than the savings made by means testing the allowance in the first place?!?

But it will help those who need help. If the 800,000 are struggling, then I am all for them signing up for the credits they are entitled to - even if it costs people like me a bit more overall.

That is precisely what I understand traditional Labour to be all about.

 

[Lever]

Whilst i agree wholeheartedly with the changes to the Winter Fuel Payments I can’t help think that if the previous government had done this, the usual crew on here would be going bat shit, “Cruel Evil Tories”

..or not

 

[cheshunt seagull]

Reeves has just shown that with the HUGE Public Sector wage rises.

After all, she wants those 6 million votes again.

As a former public sector worker my experience is that pay has virtually been almost frozen since the 2008 crash. Meanwhile the banks, which caused it, have been extravagently renumerating their staff. Our pay also lagged behind that of much of the private sector. OK, we had some benefits like pensions but the calculations for these have become much less favourable. I get seriously pissed off with people banging on about how cosseted we are. If we inhabit such a land of milk and honey why don't they apply to join.

 

[mile oak]

The implosion of Labours lunatic policies are already starting to destroy the people it hasnt a clue how to serve. Pensioners worse off, placing blame for riots on one sector of society without real evidence, clueless how to tackle law and order and the unions are laughing their backsides off, it wont be long before we have a national strike, some say we already have and as for the health care service if you thought it was bad under the Tories i dread what the looney lefties wil do to our NHS. The country needs reform and not Starmers idea of it.

 

[rogersix]

“These new 5p pieces are a bit fiddly”
“IT’S QUARTER PAST TWO!”
“I’m 82 you know”
“That Nigel Farage seems like a nice young man”

This is the usual chat from the elderly.

slight correction, they would actually say, "i'll be 83 next birthday"

 

[Machiavelli]

I was prompting you to offer your opinion on a particular topic, but you've just diverted onto something else. I'll try again:
you don't seem to like Labour's plan for renewable electricity generation: do you think that we shouldn't have electricity? if you think we should have electricity, which source would you prefer it to come from?

How you getting on with this @Nicks?

 

[dsr-burnley]

As a former public sector worker my experience is that pay has virtually been almost frozen since the 2008 crash. Meanwhile the banks, which caused it, have been extravagently renumerating their staff. Our pay also lagged behind that of much of the private sector. OK, we had some benefits like pensions but the calculations for these have become much less favourable. I get seriously pissed off with people banging on about how cosseted we are. If we inhabit such a land of milk and honey why don't they apply to join.

Nail on head. If people don't like the job in the private sector they should apply for a job in the public sector; similarly, if they don't like the job in the public sector they should apply to the private sector. There is no point anyone from either side complaining about what the conditions were at a carefully selected date in the past; look at conditions now, and make your choice.

(The golden age for public sector pensions was about 1997-2015, after Gordon Brown had changed the dividends that made private sector final salary pensions untenable, but before anyone in government spotted that public sector workers had such a vast advantage. They have since changed the system so that private sector employees get 3% of salary paid as an employer bonus to their pension while public sector workers still get (I'm told) a little more than that.)