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?

Seems sensible to me. My mum got hers after she'd died, it was ridiculous. She died Oct 15th, I did the Tell Us Once, and DWP wrote to me to ask for some details to check if she was still eligible. I sent the details assuming "dead" as a detail would mean she wouldn't get it, and they sent me a cheque for £200.

The letter was kind of "we know it's odd but you might still get it". Had I not had other beneficiaries of the estate to be aware of I'd have sent it back!

Just having a stable staff in the existing ones would be a start

One step at a time

They are putting unaffordable projects on hold it doesn't mean no forever.

Those hospitals were a Boris big announcement without the funding or doctors to staff them.

Labour have been in office what 3 weeks v 14 years of conservatives. Give them a chance.

Get a motivated stable public services workforce first. I can't see the error in this thinking.

Pay doctors decently, squeeze in an extra operation a day/week, baby steps.

THis is so right. Its about the people at the margins, I voted Labour, I am 65 1/2, I am gutted.

@LuluBlakey1 read a few posts above the difference in anount for those who are on basic state pension and how much pension credit and its just a couple pounds.

That would have been part of her estate. If she had an overpayment they would have expected it back!

In this instance they are levelling those OAPs not on PC or other benefits.

This does not automatically mean poor and uneducated.

Why aren’t people understanding that pensioners with income that is pennies over £218.15 per week will not get the winter fuel allowance. That’s people will income less than £11400 per year will not get the £200 allowance. It’s not just the rich pensioners who will lose this, it’s the ones on the lowest incomes, the most vulnerable in our society. My dad is one of them.

I don’t disagree with increasing the pay of junior doctors.

I do disagree with making those on £220 per week fund it.

I think it would be fairer to tax Amazon, Starbucks and co properly.

Minimum wage 19k likely with more housing, commuting, dependants, clothing costs. They don't get extra heating costs.

And on average use NHS less and pay for prescriptions.

State pension isn't so bad in comparison

Im sorry you’re losing your winter fuel
allowance, coupled with the likely freezing of the PA (or reduction) you might find yourself even worse off.

But pensioners were warned about the consequences of voting labour

You'll be less gutted when the nhs waiting lists come down

I asked this earlier - no-one responded!

I support this change.

I'd also support means testing FSM, keeping the 2 child CB (and lowering the earnings cap).

PIP and DLA should also be means tested. As should attendance allowance.

Not everyone pleased by this change is ageist/ableist/whatever other insult people want to throw around. The country's finances are in tatters. We've got to start somewhere.

This our hospitals have mothballed wards because there are no staff.

Does your dad own his own home?

Currently 78% of pensioners own their home, and 17% are in social housing. The small remainder left are in private rented.

If people really are living on the bread line then they have the option to release equity from their home. Perhaps this is something that more pensioners should consider?

@HeySummerWhereAreYou do you really think just over £10000 is enough to live on and heat your house as thats the basic state pension, many people will go cold , even with the winter fuel allowance some were struggling to heat their homes, I work in a sector that speaks to pensioners in this position. The fact you think just over £10000 is plenty, you happy we remove child beneifyt altogether for anyone over £15000 say ? As if a pensioner can live on £10000 ?? They should of had the cut off higher,

Absolutely fucking brilliant: pensioners on MN telling us that they had tin baths (and no doubt dripping for tea) when they were children, so they don’t need the allowance that’s just been cut.

Welcome to the world of Lee Anderson, Labour MNers.

Fucking hell if the Tories had scrapped this you puppets would be screaming 'old people are going to freeze to death ". Wow giving money for fake climate change, net zero rubbish but want to build millions of houses, mmm that's good for the environment, spend more on architects and doctors crossing the English Channel, but old people can die because they don't deserve it. You bloody hypocrites

PIP/DLA can open the gateway to more support/accommodations. By making them means tested, you will be denying those who are in a household that has too much money, the practical support they need. Things like Blue Badge, Motability scheme, carer's tickets etc.
And disabled children would be denied that support because their parents earn too much. Or a disabled woman living with a man who earns too much. For many vulnerable women, their only income is PIP.

Fine
And get rid of the triple lock
And free prescriptions at 60

Pensioners get loads of state money and resources. Stop being so greedy.

@SaxaSoLow Yep, that’s always the issue. People like my Dad (86) aren’t in the cruising income class and their health means that they really need to keep warm. He’s got limited mobility and poor circulation.

I know that the winter fuel payments needed to be cut back, but I suspect this is too drastic and will result in hospital admissions for pneumonia. 🙁

This is not necessarily the case - I think we need to see what ‘other means tested benefits’ confer eligibility - I know Money Saving Expert mentions some, but I don’t think that’s correct since most of those listed aren‘t even available to pensioners.

I’d be surprised if things like housing benefit & council tax support aren’t included, and just about anyone who only receives the state pension will be entitled to at least one of them. The only exceptions I can think of would be pensioners who live with family and pay neither council tax nor rent.

Then just give people ' an underlying entitlement to DLA ' without the money paid. that should solve the problem.

We’re talking junior doctors here. They’re training. Unless you’ve noticed, the country is going through a cost of living crisis. We’re all having to budget - every single one of us. To just throw a group of people a 20% pay rise, when many workers have had their salary frozen for the last three years, is obscene, no matter which way you look at it. And the laughable bit is - there’s many on social media urging their peers not to accept it and to hold out for the 35%!

@GeneralReflection release the equity have you actually looked into this and what it can mean? So your happy that someone who earns £2 odd more a week doesn’t get a benefit, lets not pretend this is ill thought and will lead to older peopke who feel the cold and who its often more dangerous for to not be able to heat their homes . £10000 pa is not a lot, our pension is wuite poor. Its this fallacy people have of rich pensioners especially on mumsnet , when there are many on the breadline