Genuine question re pensioner fuel payment cut

It's sensible, never agreed with it in the first place. We gave away our fuel help money last year too as it's wrong to spend taxpayers money on extras like this where the recipients do not need it. This is not the same as pensions which are something we earned through paying ni fir 35 years +

"We already give pensioners..."

Pensioners paid National Insurance stamps or had stamps paid for them while caring for children.

2dogsandabudgie · Today 12:24
MrsSkylerWhite · Today 12:05
Perfectly sensible. Millions don’t need it. My mum gives hers to a cat charity 🙄
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Oh dear, all these supposed charities that are going to miss out this “

It’s not “supposed”. It’s a local charity in Somerset. She adopted her latest cat from them (irresponsibly, I think, as she has dementia). Why on earth would anyone make that up?

Wrong. The new state pension is only £2 above the cut off for pension credit. Those on pension credit are better off than those on just state pension because of all the extras that pension credit brings

BTW, free bus travel doesn't kick in till state pension age in some parts of the country, certainly not where I live.

Ahh the #be kind brigade are here. How lovely

Ridiculous statement

I think labour should raise the cut off so more people are able to get the winter fuel payment. While still cutting it off for rich pensioners. So those just over the 11k cut off and struggling can access it. Perhaps the cut off should be 15k or something like that. Hopefully labour will consider that when removing it etc.

It's the fact they've taken it away from all pensioners that's the problem. So people who are still on a very low fixed income but just enough to not qualify for any help will now be penalised.

The majority of pensioners do not live a champagne lifestyle going on cruises. Far from it. Most struggle to get by as it is.

Elderly people feel the cold more. They should not be penalised for something they can't help.

It’s crazy that the London Freedom Pass is given to 60 year olds. It should be state pension age like free bus passes in the rest of the country. I know many wealthy workers taking advantage of this when they don’t need it.

I find it even more baffling that in London, the 63 year CEO at my company (personal wealth must be more than £20million) can use the tube for free but our teenage and early 20s apprentices (on London living wage) have to pay full fares.

Yes, cheap/free public transport is very important to low income pensioners and should remain. But it would be equally as important to low income people of any age.

I am a Labour supporter and would back Sadiq in getting rid of universal free travel for older people - harder to administer as it's done by councils not HMRC/Treasury though

Well, they’re also talking about reducing childcare funding, free school meals, and Universal Credit, so I think many groups will be paying a price, sooner or later.

Oh dear, all these supposed charities that are going to miss out this year 🤔

My parents don’t need it and neither do my in laws, I agree it needs to be means tested not just taken away.

I actually also think there ought to be a review of income tax applied to pensions or raising the threshold for pensioners paying the basic rate as this would give the poorest with a private pension some additional help.

Here is another thought experiment:

Let’s say it’s 2034, a Conservative government has now been voted in. The number of pensioners is greater than ever. The triple lock has continued to ratchet its way up. The bill is huge. Under these circumstances, would you support the Conservatives bringing BACK the fuel payment? Do you think they would be prepared to bring it back, once they get back into government? Because if not, maybe there is a case for grasping the nettle and doing it now rather than in 2034?

No Labour voters want benefits cutting, but most centrists recognise the books must be balanced. The Tories deliberately skewed the effect of that though onto working age families with children, and those on disability benefits, while gilding the lilly for pensioners. It was pork barrel at its worst because pensioners were the only demographic that reliably voted Conservative. It was also short sighted politically because the Conservative Party had alienated every demographic under the age of 65. Which is one of the reasons they lost so badly at the election.

I would still be in favor of it. I have said that this needed to go for ages, and I do do my best not to be partisan. I can name lots of things that the Tories did that I supported - strong net Zero efforts for most of the 14 years, a lot of the educational reforms, full-expensing….

How would the Labour supporters react if three weeks into a new Conservative Government, the chancellor cut the winter fuel payment to any pensioner with an income of more than £11k?

This is a moot point because I don't believe that a Conservative Government would do this. Not out of any genuine concern about fuel poverty but because they wouldn't want to alienate a group of people who are much more likely to vote for them. Had the Tories won the election they would continue to do what they have done for the last 14 years, protect universal benefits for pensioners and resist calls to increase taxes on the ultra-wealthy/corporations, whilst implementing policies that push more and more children into poverty. Children can't vote.

I am broadly in support the the policy, and would be whoever brought it in. Although I can see why it feels unfair, means testing is expensive and ultimately the aim of the policy is to save money. This government has inherited a mess. In addition to an urgent need to address the shameful levels of child poverty in this country, our NHS and social care services (which pensioners are more likely to need) desperately need proper investment. Savings have got to be made somewhere and whoever loses out is unlikely to be happy about it.

There are still a lot on assessed income periods who don't have to notify PC service of increased. I had one client a few months ago whose savings had built up to 40k with all his benefits building up and he was under no obligation to inform anyone ? crazy .

I am sure a lot of that goes on. Back in the day - people on pension credit were not reassessed on their income etc - reliance was placed on them notified the powers that be if their income went down!

I couldn't agree more.

Further unless you are already retired before 2016 - this benefit is not available to you. Sorry to disappoint

Think my dad used to spend his in the betting shop