Winter Fuel Allowance decision is a massive own goal

Otto42 said:
Never really thought about it much before, but it’s an arbitrary benefit….why not single mum’s, low earners etc…? Was a product of the Tories trying to keep the votes of the pensioners imho. Obviously don’t want to see the poor hammered, but benefits need to be targeted to those that need them.
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I think pensioners got it because they were the must likely to die if the couldn’t afford the fuel payment

Agree more should get it
 
Starmer’s spokeswoman confirmed ‘there had been no work on how many people affected by the change might have health difficulties or might be vulnerable or at risk as a result of the change.’
 
jam69 said:
No they didnt, lots of people will have been unemployed for periods, back in the 50s-70s it was not uncommon for women to be stay at home mothers, add to that ill health , early retirement etc etc
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There wasn’t mass unemployment so most people worked.
 
Nano said:
HMRC already collect all the data they need. They issue P60s to anyone that receives income. If someone wants to claim child benefit and they shouldn't then HMRC automatically contact them and you are required to pay it back. That same system can be used.
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HMRC don't issue P60s. These are issued by employers and pension providers. In theory HMRC have this information due to the current real time reporting system but whether anyone looks at this data is another matter.
 
sherlock said:
Starmer’s spokeswoman confirmed ‘there had been no work on how many people affected by the change might have health difficulties or might be vulnerable or at risk as a result of the change.’
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I thought you said they did and 4000 people would die?
 
HolgateCorner said:
I’ve read a lot of posts on this thread and nobody has come up with a reason why wealthy pensioners should get a couple of hundred quid fuel allowance.
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Yes they have.

Because the government won’t do proper means testing to set a reasonable cut off level, so giving it to every pensioner is the only way to ensure some who need it don’t miss out.

That’s a reason. You might not agree with it, but it’s a reason.
 
sherlock said:
Yes they have.

Because the government won’t do proper means testing to set a reasonable cut off level, so giving it to every pensioner is the only way to ensure some who need it don’t miss out.

That’s a reason. You might not agree with it, but it’s a reason.
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It’s a rubbish reason but yes a reason. And a reason also to change it. I agree with means testing. Starmer has said he will support the most vulnerable but this gets lost in the maelstrom of internet memes liking him to Pol Pot and even one that compares him to Harold Shipman. Absolutely ridiculous over reaction.

These keyboard warriors filling up Soc media with these kinds of messages. Funnily enough they were very quiet when Johnson was killing off pensioners in their hundreds when they didn’t lockdown care homes quickly enough. They were also silent when they abolished the free TV licences to over 75s costing them £175 a year. But politically it suits them to go overboard on this.
 
Zoophonic said:
Funnily enough they were very quiet when Johnson was killing off pensioners in their hundreds when they didn’t lockdown quickly enough.
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I wasn’t.

In fact I’ve been frequently attacked on here for even mentioning covid measures.
 
Zoophonic said:
It’s a rubbish reason but yes a reason. And a reason also to change it. I agree with means testing. Starmer has said he will support the most vulnerable but this gets lost in the maelstrom of internet memes liking him to Pol Pot and even one that compares him to Harold Shipman. Absolutely ridiculous over reaction.

These keyboard warriors filling up Soc media with these kinds of messages. Funnily enough they were very quiet when Johnson was killing off pensioners in their hundreds when they didn’t lockdown care homes quickly enough. They were also silent when they abolished the free TV licences to over 75s costing them £175 a year. But politically it suits them to go overboard on this.
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It doesn’t matter what Starmer says though does it? His actions are what matter and we can see that if you earn more than £218 per week(or £332 as a couple) then you won’t qualify, that is far too low and is not supporting the vulnerable.

It also doesn’t matter what the Tories did, we should expect Labour to be much, much better than that lot.
 
sherlock said:
Yes they have.

Because the government won’t do proper means testing to set a reasonable cut off level, so giving it to every pensioner is the only way to ensure some who need it don’t miss out.

That’s a reason. You might not agree with it, but it’s a reason.
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I can’t agree with that answer it’s like saying everybody should get child allowance whether they have eligible children or not in case some needy households miss out.

We have to be sensible.

The means testing and pension has to be fair but there is no reason to give a universal fuel allowance to wealthy pensioners.

It won’t be a popular statement on here but I think Labour are succeeding in getting this message across.
 
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