Winter fuel payments

Just wait until disability payments are cut, Labour will be even more hated

Well that will be a tricky one for some right wing MN posters @caringcarer given so many rage on about PIP fraud and "mobility" cars. I guess there will be name-changing and tune-changing if the proposed the cuts go ahead.

The threshold for means testing should be higher.

They should also scrap free prescriptions for over 60's and bring it in line with the actual pension age

Well it is what most people want, but some are criticising him for (allegedly) u-turning, even though they flamed him for restricting the WFA in the first place. 🤷‍♀️

It should be means tested, 100%. This ridiculous narrative that all pensioners are poor comes up again and again, mostly by Reform voters.

There are also plenty who do.

There are plenty of pensioners that don't have a growing bank balance.

What a load of rubbish. You realise schools still have outside loos? Or that the reason 50% go to uni now is because they have to just to get a basic admin job even though it will likely leave them with £40k debt

Don't give them the satisfaction of your annoyance.

Many women now limit the size of their families because they cannot afford to support more children. It isn’t ideal, but it is sensible.

It's one reason birth rates are so low.

Things may have been easier for them, but not necessarily easier for everyone. There will be differences between individuals within a generation including differences between those born at the start and those born at the end. The younger baby boomers are still working and will be working until 67, whereas the older women retired at 60. The list of possible differences between a cohort is endless for any generation. And there are also commonalities between generations. Divide and conquer is seldom a good way forward.

The pill became available on the NHS for married women in 1961 and unmarried women in 1967. Opting for birth control after the first two or three children have been the sensible and compassionate response given your parents dire financial position. Many women now limit the size of their families because they cannot afford to support more children. It isn’t ideal, but it is sensible.

For this to have not been available as a choice for your mother, you would be - at a minimum - 67 years old now.

I think this unlikely.

Coupled with your assertion that your parents-in-law received £600 WFA which was never possible as the WFA was a maximum of £300 per household if at least one of the couple was over 80 years old. You would know this if, as you claim, you really are so knowledgeable about your PILs financial affairs.

I smell a rat.

Labour love wasting tax payers money

Tories don't?

Not all pensioners are rich. Many are in poverty. Some of them are feckless but a lot worked hard & experienced hardship.

However the average young person today will not end up with the same wealth as the average boomer today.

With regards to inheritance it's far more beneficial in terms in building wealth to get on the housing ladder in your 20s as opposed to waiting for a deposit in your 50s.

It must be annoying when we make valid points.
My parents are boomers and my mum always admits things were easier for them than they are for young people now. It’s refreshing when pensioners actually can see this.

It doesn’t mean we don’t think you didn’t graft or experience hardship at any point. We all work ridiculously hard now and won’t get the same pay offs unfortunately. If you conceded a bit you’d see a lot less resentment.

I'm angry about Labour and their kids EU ass policies whilst screwing fisherman.

Previous poster asked me how Farage would fund paying WFA to pensioners. I answered her. What is irrational about that? Not answering would be irrational.

I didn't say you were a pensioner, you are a victim of something though as you seem very angry, angry enough to be quite cruel about someone's parents on the internet! You can choose how you look at things and perceive things.

This sounds sensible, providing they raise it higher enough. If think £20k is sensible. Cuts out the wealthy getting it but ensures many struggling do get it.

I'm not a victim. I'm not a pensioner so not missing out. Just found it strange a person would say their parents let them go hungry because couldn't afford food yet kept on having more kids. I think thos kids are the victims here.

Urgh here we go. A rational conversation becomes derailed again.

Yes, I know deliberately keeping who worked and paid NI often for 40 years below those who get given PC topped up to higher than state pension because they didn't work or pay NI contributions is shameful and encourages people not to bother working because if you don't work you'll get more than those who do.

Sounds to me like they'll look at raising the threshold not making it universal again as they're saying ensuring more pensioners are eligible. They're not saying all. Surely this seems to be what most people want.

Interesting.

Reform's Manifesto last year stated the
following :

REFORM UK 2024

Enforce a 2-Strike Rule for Job Offers

All job seekers and those fit to work must find employment within 4 months or accept a job after 2 offers. Otherwise, benefits are withdrawn.

Face to Face, Not Remote Assessments for Benefits

Personal Independence Payment and Work Capability Assessment should be face to face.

We will require independent medical assessments to prove eligibility for payments.

If unemployed adults have their benefits cut as a result of not complying with these policies, what do the children of such parents do? Starve?

Equally, tax relief for those sending their kids to private school, to incentivise people not to use the state system. I'm really not seeing all this concern for child poverty!

It’s not rubbish, I speak to pension age people all the time about it. My in laws for example, didn’t need a deposit. It was standard to have 100% mortgages all those years ago. Only one of them worked while she brought up children in the early years, extremely average jobs. Had a 4/5 bed house in the South East. That just wouldn’t be possible now

There’s always exceptions to rules and extenuating circumstances but it’s really bloody annoying when you can’t just admit you had it easier. Way easier. Doesn’t mean you didn’t work hard still. There’d be a lot less resentment between the generations if you just conceded a bit.

By not spending £145 per night to put illegal immigrants into 4* hotels is one way. To cut out wasteful Quangos where MP's are voted in yet contract the work out to the Quangos is another way. KS said he'd cut these yet they have gone up since he's been in power. By cutting out the wasteful crap. Where I live local Labour council was paying £43k to pay for taxi to get 1 DC to special school. Common sense would dictate a taxi firm coming from either town DC lived in or town they were going to. No local Labour got taxi firm over 35 miles away to come for DC then took him to school then drove almost 45 miles back to their base. DC lives 20 miles from school. Local taxi firms who take other DC available but no Labour love wasting tax payers money. This has been reported to newly elected Reform councillor who will look into business case and auditing.