Winter fuel payments for pensioners scrapped

[MidnightPatrol]

Unless they are in receipt of pension credit or other benefits.

I suspect this will be the first of many benefits which will be restricted as part of cost-cutting measures.

What else might we see / should we see?

Which "other benefits"?

I think that this one is fair enough. Lots of posts on here over the years where people have said that there ILs didn’t need the money but still received it.

I wonder how long universal school dinners for infants will continue? Making it means tested wouldn’t surprise me.

My MIL and her DB definitely didn't need them, she was usually on cruise when the cold weather hit. But there will probably be older people not claiming what they are entitled to who will be hit.

I think that is fair. Neither my DM or MIL actually need them and there must be a lot of pensioners in the same position.

I agree, we didn’t need it and have donated ours to the food bank previously. I think the £10 Christmas bonus could go as well, goodness knows when that was fixed and it must cost more to administer than it’s worth. However, I’ll be really irritated if the bus pass goes.

I think this is fair. My parents definitely don't need it

I think it’s fair.

My parents go abroad for 3 months over the Winter, but still get it. My ILs get it but don’t need it either.

Pension Credit or 'other means tested benefits'. No idea which means tested benefits can be claimed by pensioners.

Sounds sensible.

Another good decision!

I can actually see that one being extend in the long run

My dad used to make an equal donation to the local food bank, the first time he got a payment he thought it was a mistake. He's never been wealthy, and left school at 14, but his mortgage is paid off he has savings and a small pension which on his words is more than enough for me.
I think this makes sense

I think it's fair if you're not on pension credit. My parents are very wealthy and yet got this fuel payment. They genuinely don't need it. Both have state pension, no mortgage and generous private pensions as well as large amounts of savings.

Extra payments should be for those on benefits - not the wealthy who just happen to be old.

This seems like a reasonably fair and simple way to 'means test' them - which sounds sensible to me.

I have a couple of older relatives who received them previously, despite being pretty well off in their retirement.

Good! If you don't need it then you shouldn't get it!

This one needed to go long ago.

It's ridiculous that it wasn't means tested to begin with. My mum gets it and takes us all out to dinner!

A sensible move, obviously. Impoverished pensioners will still get it.

As it should be.
DGM got the winter fuel payment each year when she was mortgage free and had 125k sat in the bank.
Ludicrous that it was given to all in the first place.

I think this is completely fair. My parents are separated and each live alone and mortgage free in a four bed house. No way do they need free money from the government to heat a house that's twice as big as they need. I'm sure plenty of older people are in the same situation.

So presumably not Attendance Allowance?

There are some of us who aren't eligible for pension credit - we live on less than £1,600 a month with just our combined state pensions - and will miss the winter fuel allowance. We don't all jet off somewhere hot.

They might give a discretionary pot to energy companies for this. Also check to see if your local council has a discretionary pot for other things like council tax. Might ease the burden a little.

I think this is a good decision. My aunt gets more than £2,300 a month in pensions, and allowances for her eyesight- not pension credit. She does not need extra fuel allowances of any kind. She has a number of friends like her who are very comfortably off from work pensions topping up state pension . It should be means tested.

A good decision. I have no doubt DM will moan about it endlessly, although she has private pensions and two mortgage-free houses. She was never going to be a Labour voter though!