Genuine question re pensioner fuel payment cut

There are some very callous people here saying they are pleased that elderly people on low incomes are losing money by withdrawal of winter fuel benefit.
A full time single worker on minimum wage takes home quite a bit more than the average single pensioner. A single worker on average salary takes home considerably more again. Pensioners are not usually in a position to increase their income by working. The only people worse off than the average pensioner are single people not working and on UC.
You need to remember that most pensioners, especially single people, are NOT well off, just as most single workers are not well off.

Inheritance tax and capital gains tax are obvious places. And hammer landlords a bit more and second home owners.

I fully expect wealth taxes to be introduced. I hope they are. At the very least taxation on unearned income should be aligned with earned income.

And you can just imagine the uproar from wealthier pensioners if they were expected to pay wealth taxes, downsize etc, because they've 'worked hard all their lives'. Never mind the fact that younger people are paying higher taxes, getting less for it, and can barely afford to house their families.

My point is that it's not as simple as saying that it's 'cruel' to take winter fuel allowance from pensioners. Where is the money going to come from?

You do not speak for me. I have children in their 30's and I'm acutely aware of the financial challenges they have.
It is insulting for you to suggest all people of my demographic think the same way, just as it equally insulting to assume younger people are profligate and waste money on Netflix, tattoos, gadgets and all the other usual suspects........
Pitting one generation against another is disingenuous, lazy and divisive and plays right into the hands of "click-bait" politics.

We’re not. I’m finding it quite amusing that quite a few of us who are pensioners are fine with it and younger people are getting bent out of shape on our behalf.

They could try to get a job!

AFAIK, I wasn't suggesting that at all.
Can you point to where in my post I said that please?
I'm no expert on how energy is produced, distributed, sold, etc, in fact I admit I'm pretty ignorant.
But I've done a bit of research and found that energy costs in the UK have surpassed their highest levels ever.
And the UK's energy costs have risen faster than any other developed countries since 2019. Our costs are among the highest.
For me to say that WFA wouldn't be needed if energy costs weren't so high was probably simplistic, but it is fact that the costs are extremely high and many people can't afford these costs. That was the point I was trying to make, or do you disagree?
The costs could be ameliorated somewhat if VAT wasn't added on to our bills, but it is

I support means testing it, there are very wealthy pensioners who do not need it. I think the cut off is far too low though. I also think they should rethink the state pension and the triple lock.

There’s case law on the lottery winner in the public domain.

The case went to the highest ranking officer and they were permitted to retain their benefits. They told us and made an enquiry about their benefit, so that’s not fraud. Some elderly people are on an indefinite assessed income periods especially the older ones.

You claim benefit- it’s up to you to report the change. Otherwise -fraud.

Winter fuel payments should be based on energy consumption anyway, not building up savings.

Absolutely this

Nobody is saying that it's ok for pensioners to freeze, but this still doesn't answer the question of where the money should come from.

Wherever cuts are made, there is always going to be somebody who suffers the consequences, and some people who are just above the payment cut off.

Pensioners, as a whole, are the wealthiest generation. They own 78% of the UKs property wealth. 1 in 6 own more than one property. Of course not every pensioner is well off, but you can't take into account every individual circumstance when making decisions on behalf of the entire country, and the cut-off needs to be somewhere.

I would be more in favour of keep the WFA for poorer pensioners if it was funded by the same generation - in the form of wealth taxes on assets. Working people are already paying more than they should be, and are getting less for it.

Plus you will be taxed on everything over £12570.

Just one of the many "cliffedges" in the tax/benefits system. Funny how OAPs didn't care when it was younger people who suffered from that kind of cliff edge and claw back. Now it affects them, they're waking up to what younger generations are facing!

'An AIP is a period when you do not have to tell us about changes to your pensions, savings or investments. Your Pension Credit award letter tells you if you have one.
From 6 April 2016, no new AIPs have been set.
If you had an AIP that was due to end on or after 1 April 2019, it will have ended on or before 28 March 2019 and will not have been renewed.
If you are aged over 75 and have an AIP with no end date, it will remain in place until your household circumstances change, for example if you move into a care home or if you become a member of a couple.'

I think all PC claims should be looked out rather than relying on the recipients being obliged to inform
I was correct that no AIPs will be set since 2016.

And get 500pound more a year in state pension and you lose thousands more through not getting pension credit and all the stuff it opens doors to

I've definitely called Sunak an "odious little cretin", mostly due to his lies and incompetence re the 3 million he excluded from covid support!!

It'd be nice if the people who benefitted from furlough and grants who didn't need it would repay it so that it could be redistributed to some of the 3 million excluded who did need it!

Not the same. It's important for children not to be singled out for being poor. Universal FSM means most children will eat a school dinner together.

The word odious no more applies to Keir Starmer than it does to Rishi Sunak. You might vehemently disagree with Starmer and that's democracy but "odious", seriously? I'm a Labour voter but I wouldn't dream of calling Rishi Sunak or David Cameron odious. Boris Johnson on the other hand was the gold medallist (platinum actually) when it came to switching camps and spouting any amount of utter bullshit to win votes. A lot of Tories would agree with me too.

Since 2016 there is no AIP - so the person you are quoting for must be over 75 and already on an AIP. If it is true - it is scandalous and maybe the fraud section should be looking at it.
I will find the info I was referring to.

I think if they get attendance allowance they will still qualify.

I know @2dogsandabudgie and I'm the one that needs it! I guess what I'm saying is that for some pensioners who are not well off it's not needed (mum was a dinner lady and dad worked in a factory - state pension and small private one). They just miss out on pension credits but do get attendance allowance as both disabled.

Well I wouldn't hold your breath for it this year!

Why do people not understand that elderly people feel the cold more. They are more likely because of their age to have other health problems.

Working age people can move about more, many will go to work where it's warm, elderly people often have mobility problems so don't go out much. Are some people really that callous that they are ok with this?

Nobody can help getting old, if we're lucky not to die young it comes to us all.