Can’t just be me who is sick of the moaning about the private school VAT and winter fuel payments

They aren’t bothered about it now, until what it actually means is that state schools become (more) overcrowded by kids who would otherwise have gone to a private school, and actually the VAT “gained” has been overtaken by the cost of state educating those kids. People just don’t know what it means. You are seriously deluded if you think it means that it will bring in loads of cash.

£200 over the course of a 6 or 7month period of having to heat a house is not enough, it doesn't even touch the sides, its a few extra units per month.

Cutting unit energy costs is a far better way forward, for the pensioner, for everyone on a low income and for the taxpayer.

Where would you put the cut off point? and how much would it cost to administer some random income point?

Nonsense. Outside of MN, the vast majority of the electorate couldn't care less about VAT on school fees. It impacts only 7% of those with school age children, a tiny proportion of people to start with, and of those there are many people for whom it's loose change or who support the policy anyway. You are perpetuating the myth that a lot of noise from a vocal minority means this policy is highly controversial, when for most people it matters not at all, and is an easy way to raise a few quid without upsetting the majority.
If you seriously imagine the government feels the need to manipulate opinion, whip up bitterness, jealousy or anger to get this policy accepted against the preferences of your small demographic, you are seriously deluded about your own level of importance and influence.

I won’t get wfa and that’s fine. We will be above the threshold and will do what we’ve done in the past and restrict the heating.

It would be interesting to know the numbers of pensioners who are sufficiently well off to have several holidays a year and/or second homes, as opposed to those who are still going to be in receipt of wfa. I expect most will be in a continuum between the two.

The manner in which some people talk about downsizing, I find irritating though. It isn’t simply a question of selling up and finding a smaller property. If it were, we wouldn’t have spent since February this year, trying and failing to do just that. For some people, their house has been their home for many years and they have such an emotional investment in it that the prospect of leaving it is really difficult.

I taught in state schools for forty years, so VAT on private education is not a concern for me, but the lack of investment in state education, particularly for children with additional needs is a disgrace. If I thought those monies saved were going towards improving the lot of vulnerable children in education and for more positive experiences in the NHS, then I’m sure many would think it worthwhile. But I bet that won’t happen.

There isn't the correct number of staff in the NHS for management to be effective, they are constantly firefighting, moving staff from pillar to post to try and meet demand.

My DD trust has vacancies for OTs and Physio's that are 12m to 18m old, yet have soaring demand, with more people having strokes etc and needing to be kept out of Hospital.

Management spend their time restructuring, dealing with complaints and trying to conjure up ever more imaginative ways to reduce the threshold for seeing a healthcare worker.

& all the time people are leaving the NHS.

I've already said that the more well off who don't need it, shouldn't get it. But there are millions of pensioners not entitled to pension credits or benefits just living on the cusp who will be badly affected. And btw, my post was addressing someone's comments about her super rich parents and sarcastically referencing how her heart 'bleeds'. Keep up....

Don't be ridiculous, the country cannot afford handing out billions to people who are well off.
The inheritance issue is neither here nor there.

Same with VAT on school fees, we cannot afford it anymore.

However, it would be better for Labour to reform the energy market & reduce prices for all, rather than handouts.

Why has the UK got, when standing charge included, the most expensive electricity in Europe?

It's undermanaged because of being poorly organised. Managing needs to be effective. Top management needs to be more hands on rather than lots of pen pushing.

My DM will suffer, she can’t get warm anymore and she is late 80’s. But her and my DF have savings. Do can pay for repairs to their house. But I suppose she can just wear a coat and hat and shoes in the house.

I don't think there's an easy answer. An article in the Guardian yesterday said that 8% of 15 year olds are now on disability benefits mostly for autism/ adhd etc. That's a massive amount of SENCO's needed to address that. The system is at breaking point clearly no to mention the costs.

Doctors only form a small part of the NHS. Many who work in the NHS contribute to the cogs going round. I suspect a lot in the NHS will see what the Dr's have received and will shortly be putting in their salary increase 'bids'. Let's see how Labour deal with that. They tend to spend first, then look at how to cost it afterwards. Junior doctors applied to train when they knew their salary, so assume their applications to study medicine wasn't solely based on salary offered at that time.

I would like a much smaller state and a low flat tax but I would probably have to move to Guernsey to get that as Labour and the Tories are huge state, massive spending very high tax parties these days. For most people since 2010 tax has gone down but for the top 10% it is the highest in 70 years. So 90% of people are really glad about that of course and about VAT on school fees (if it comes in and if it is not legally challenged) and business rates for private schools. People tend to like taxes other people pay.

No one has sympathy on full time working mothers with vast childcare costs who might then choose with older children to pay school fees but also have 9% student loan/graduate charge, no single person tax allowance any more due to income, no child benefit etc. These mothers tend to live in the SE so have the highest rents in the country to pay and probably a rising mortgage never mind vast stamp duty when they move.

I don't think any of us ask for sympathy but if you bite this hand that feeds enough then Labour may find this top 10% demographic have had enough, earn less and are less productive. (Top 10% of earnings are on £67k a year or higher but I really meant people on 100k+ a year in my post)

Ah yes the Dr's.

Under the last labour govt when Brown brought us slap bang into the European average, productivity declined - and the onky discernible change was a massive pay rise for NHS staff. (Also “chronically and historically underpaid” according to them).

You could cram the entire GDP into the maw of the NHS and it would still demand more and screech about underfunding - even (as now) with the consultants’ car park full of Jags and Mercs.

The NHS doesn’t even do irony well.

Give over...

So you and your sister were ok so that means everyone will be. Great, glad that's sorted then. Isn't it marvellous how everyone can cope the same?

The NHS is under managed if anything. It definitely needs an overhaul but not necessarily in the areas you suggest.

On the contrary. NHS needs a huge overhaul. But doctors pay (on this scale) is the least of their problems. I would suggest heavy top management needs to be looked at first. You could throw millions at NHS and still would be no better. The structure and management should be their focus before just throwing money into the pot.

There's always an issue around pension credit as so many have said on here, there's a cut off point and many don't get anything even if they are a £5 a week over etc., but there are other grants and support and Age Uk, CAB etc can help people look. I'm 62 but will fall into the "just too much for PC" category. I'd like to see some sort of sliding scale. So if I am concerned about the fuel payment, it's for others, not me.

But there's the rub as I AM surrounded by wealthy pensioners; most have 2 or 3 houses paid outright and their income from private pensions in addition to their state pension is so high that they are paying higher rate income tax. And yet these are the ones complaining the most. People who never give a shit about anything are now doing their keyboard campaigning wanting their £300. I can assure you they are not wanting it on behalf of the poorest pensioners in our society!

The only thing they can go after (without more riots) is housing eg second homes, tax on large homes etc

Wonder why they don’t slap VAT on private healthcare then to “fund” the NHS.

This. It’s a sorry situation and threads like this are exactly what Labour wants -to stir up jealousy and anger against a fiction they have created, lumping all independent school parents into one category. It makes no financial sense for the country, it is directly targeting children, but they’ll push it through because they are bitter.

Would you be willing to say which council he is taxed by? I don't want to identify him too much, but different councils can give different fundings depending on different sets of criteria. I'm more than happy to help look up. One of my neighbours was told by our council that they couldn't get any help, but the next borough council would reduce the council tax massively given the same criteria and another council (no where near) would help out with a different scheme.