Genuine question re pensioner fuel payment cut

A pensioner can't claim PIP only Attendance Allowance which is lower. Apparently disabilities are cheaper when you are old.

As far I had understood it, the threshold is only set so low because setting it higher would be too costly to implement and oversee and therefore make no real money.

If there are more and more old people and fewer young, and more and more old people living in expensive large accommodation, this kind of thing would incentivise downsizing. So that must be part of this as well. Never mind there is nowhere to move to - although they are planning on addressing that, except with a time lag as house building takes time.

If we want to save the NHS, then benefits for all that are not just for the poorest have to go. Except where we need an incentive. Let’s say we currently need young people to be able to afford childcare.

pension credit will bring your weekly income to about £218 per week I think so very close to the full state pension. However I suspect once you are on pension credit it will be the gateway to other benefits like the winter fuel allowance which will actually make you better off than people who have 35 years plus of NI contributions.
This is going to hit single pensioners, many of whom will be women very hard. If there are two of you, you can probably live a basic but ok life on 2 full state pensions if no mortgage or rent.

if you are on your own with just the state pension you are going to struggle.

private sector workers who have been in low paid work all their lives do not have the valuable public sector pensions to top up the state pension.

For me it’s too much of a precipice and some allowance should be made for single pensioners on the basic state pension with savings below a certain level.

No they won't. The full state pension is just over £221 a week. A pensioner receiving that will still have to pay other household bills, water, council tax, food, buildings and contents insurance, clothing, phone bill, house repairs if they own their own house as well as heating. They won't qualify for any help.

I’m one of them. It was completely unnecessary. Hopefully the triple lock will go and changes will be made to taxation on unearned income too. I want properly funded public services and they have to be paid for.

Sorry 11500 would be 222 a week

I agree with means testing but not at 11k a year. Yes some may get disability on top but many don’t. After council tax, gas, electricity, building insurance, content insurance, a phone, internet, water and food there isn’t much left from £917 (£211 a week).

Even those who manage may be pushed into debt when the washer breaks or you need a cab to hospital or a new winter coat or their guttering needs repairing.

I would like to see a politician live on this income for 5 years. I could do it easily for a year or two with my new washer, dishwasher, tv, etc. but when bits and pieces start breaking and needing repair or replacing where does that money come from?

Once again poorer women are affected.

I .don't object to it, I will lose it and that's OK, but I don't think £11k should be the limit, I know the argument will be that it is easy to say only if on pension credit and setting it at a more reasonable level would involve lots of work but I don't think that is a good reason to be unfair.

Well let's hope they all receive the help to claim and the Government realise what a stupid decision it was and should have means tested it.

The point is that £11,300 is the maximum income you can have and still be entitled to a little* *pension credit, which its also a gateway benefit to other benefits.

If you have income >£11,400 you are not entitled to pension credit, and therefore not entitled to the winter fuel allowance. There will be a bunch of older pensioners, probably disproportionately women (who live longer), who will be living in their own home (no entitlement to rent support) and surving on a widow's pension (typically 50% of their husbands) plus a bit of state pension who may only have an income of £12k or a little more a year who will really feel this. The threshold is too low - it should at least be aligned to the equivalent of National Living Wage - £24k ish

A Christmas bonus of £10? 2 cups of coffee? Outrageous, take it away immediately.

I think you get cold winter payments if you're on UC, but you cannot compare a young fit person to an elderly person. They're probably still living at home or maybe in a house share. They won't feel the cold like an elderly person, they'll be more active. It's like comparing apples and oranges.

Part of the issue is many poorer pensioners are elgible for pension credit and other help but do not claim.

Much like when the Tories cut child benefits to certain households, once again this has been implemented in a clumsy and lazy way.

Too often the cut off is far too low.

On the subject of bus passes, we need to be doing more to encourage use of public transport. Unfortunately though these passes are often useless outside of London and some larger cities as services are so poor.

A single working age person on uc would be getting less than that yet no winter fuel payment. Is that ok?

I didn't vote Labour but I think its a good idea
Tories would never dare do anything that might affect over 65's as it was their core demographic and Labour now will have to make decisions that will be unpopular due to 14 years of bad management so good luck to them

An elderly person struggling to heat their home will likely be on pension credits and therefore unaffected. They will still receive the winter fuel allowance.

I suspect many pensioners on basic state pensions who don't qualify for additional benefits and who are no longer fit enough to drive might disagree with you about ending the triple lock.

Just a couple of examples of how being old can result in increased expenses:

Our nearest hospitals are 6 and 14 miles away. Some medical specialities, for example, the eye clinic, stroke unit, cardio-electrophysiology and kidney and urinary departments are based at the hospital which is 14 miles away. In a year or so, the nearest A & E department will close and be relocated 14 miles away.

If we need to see a consultant or have tests at either hospital there is no direct bus service from our village. To attend appointments by taxi costs nearly £100 for the round trip. To go by taxi to the closest of the two hospitals costs around £48.

Some older people are on one or more prescription meds that make them feel cold resulting in higher heating bills and from this autumn will no longer receive the additional winter fuel payments.

Last year's triple lock increase was wiped out by the annual increase in our rates and water rates charges.

Yes, some pensioners are enjoying cruises but many are not and will struggle with the increases in fuel costs over the last few years.

This 100%.

I think there would have been moral outrage from the usual suspects. I’m a cynical about politicians these days but still more of a lefty. Can’t be doing with all the people with simplistic “Tory bad” and I’m a virtuous person because I vote Labour nonsense. it’s infantile and intolerant.

I generally approve of the cut but I do see the point that some people on the cusp will be impacted. That said, pensioners just on benefits still get a much higher income than their working age equivalent.

@Lilysgoneshopping yes that should be looked at also but I do wonder, as we produce very little now, where people are going to work. Back in the day we had factories so there were always jobs. I don’t have the answers but we are in a holy mess

So basically you're saying you couldn't give a shit about an elderly person struggling to heat their home.

Yes the country needs to get back on its feet but I'm shocked you think targeting the vulnerable is the way to do it. It could have been means tested.

Yes, definitely.

Rather than targeting people who have worked all their lives, they should be looking at those who refuse to work.
It might be surprising how many people would suddenly want to work if the golden goose stopped laying eggs

I think the country needs to get back on its feet and some decisions have to be made that not everyone will agree with