Winter fuel payments

There is rather a lot of I don't need, all my friends don't need it so why should others need it, on this thread.

My MIL was mortally offended when she lost her free TV licence and had to start paying for it again! She had tens of thousands in the bank, saved up monthly as her pensions far exceeded her living costs, but still begrudged having to pay for it! Also always banging on about having to pay a few pounds a month tax on one of her pensions - she was "one of those" who believed she should be exempt from taxes once she was a pensioner! Never one to get in a jibe about how she'd "paid taxes all her life" - heaven knows how - she only worked 2 or 3 years before leaving school and getting married - she was a lifelong SAHM!

I have absolutely never felt this about the older members of my family….but hey ho.

Most of today's pensioners got their pensions at an earlier age, weren't paying for student loans even if they did go to Uni, didn't have such high housing costs, had better public services, etc.

Just like today’s pensioners paid for the two generations before them. It’s not a 21st century phenomenon. And of course their descendants will in many cases collect a substantial inheritance.

So I should pay for the bus but your wealthy parents shouldn’t? The sense of entitlement is astounding to me.

Because every single pensioner who doesn't get Pension Credit is this generalised reform voting millionaire? Right. And the younger generation think we're sneery about them?

My dh is retired on a state and tiny private pension and I work for the nhs. We are not totally broke but we are nowhere near the nasty comments we constantly get for being 'old'. The WFA came in very handy and we didn't spend it on our mythical 5th cruise or stash it, remarkably it went on...winter fuel.
A bit of respect would be pleasant

Nail on the head. Todays young workers have to pay for their own pension and don't expect a state pension (or if at all, at an even later age), but are having to also pay taxes for today's pensioners.

All those of you who obviously hate your elderly relatives, parents and in laws will be refusing any gifts or inheritance from them in the future, yes?

This is a stupid argument against means testing. But using your logic plenty don't get an inheritance so are they ok to think means testing is fine?

I’d be interested to know how she managed to get it. You need quite substantial 24/7 care needs to be able to claim the higher amount.

Its not exactly surprising that people are envious of all the benefits their elderly family members enjoy that they themselves are paying for and will never get is it?

Absolutely!

Assets which will be coming down to you sooner rather than later.

We didn't need ours and our heating has not been left off simply because it has gone.

Where Labour made the mistake (IMO) was setting the means-tested limit for the new payments too low.

I agree, and add into that that a pensioner with an income of £50k pays less taxes than a worker on a wage of £50k. It's all a nonsensical mess, just the politicians pandering to get votes rather than looking at what's best for the country.

To be fair this tension between generations is not a new thing, and I have met plenty of pensioners who think people from my generation (millennials) are work shy and lazy. So it’s swings and roundabouts really.

I genuinely do not understand the argument that older people need to be incentivised to use public transport. What about the rest of us? What incentives do we get? How are we supported? How does the state ensure we can keep the lights on and heat our homes?

The way that society is stratified once you are of pensionable age is so strange to me. Not all pensioners are the same or need the same level of support, just like not all adults or children do, yet we seem to have become a country that absolutely ploughs resource and support into supporting pensioners across the board with no consideration for differences in income and need. It’s bizarre. And before posters start on the “they’ve worked their whole lives” narrative: haven’t we all? And it’s not about money in versus money out for me, but rather a consideration of the fact that not every single person in this country above the age of 67 has the same needs.

God it’s depressing all this hate for family, or is it envy?

They need to look at AA next. Over £400 a month my MIL takes of this non means tested benefit, buys in no care and puts in the bank, yet her and FIL have over £1m worth of assets.

I think they got the thresholds wrong for cutting off and it's good that they have recognised this and are taking steps to address it.

But overall, it's absolutely right that this benefit is means tested. Not just because of the government finances, but because of the optics.

What hope have young people got these days? They are paid low wages that barely cover rent in a house share, public transport is crap, those that have gone to uni are saddled with debt.

"But hey kids, need to tighten that belt a little more because Bob and Sue in their five bed mortgage free house and their two holidays a year need to have a £300 bung each year to stop them voting for Reform."

We're a joke of a country.

All those of you who obviously hate your elderly relatives, parents and in laws will be refusing any gifts or inheritance from them in the future, yes?

Yup, we all want better services, more benefits, etc., but when we say "pay more tax" to fund it, we mean "someone else" should pay, it's never us!! It's sheer hypocracy. We shovel monies into pensions and ISAs for the tax benefits, but then bemoan lack of funding for public services!

Looks like you will get a nice inheritance then. I assume you will be giving it away to poor people?

As someone on a state pension I don't agree it should be reinstated. My DH and I fortunately don't need it and none of our friends of a similar age do either.
I do think the threshold should be higher though, it can't be beyond the wit of HMRC do sort it out.

They’ve still got to develop code build and test the thing. Process changes are expensive in terms of time and I assume they outsource their IT to a very expensive third party who will charge a fortune. How much would they save I wonder. There should be some cost benefit thing done.

Just ignore those comments, generally from wealthy pensioners. Most know people who struggle and see the reality. I don’t think it’ll help Labour but I’m pleased if it helps you.