I know this will be contentious - cost of living rise

[qualitychat]

My mum is a pensioner and gets Disability Benefit and Mobility Benefit and Pension Credit. She receives almost what I get in a month. She is moaning about the Government not doing enough about the cost of gas and electricity, which I agree with. The thing is they have said that people on benefits and pension credit will be given lump sums towards their bills. I am a middle earner and so is my husband. We will likely get nothing. Do you not think it will be the ordinary working families who will be squeezed the most if something is not done?

Yes the long suffering ordinary people like us will suffer but we will keep on going- the life blood of the country.

There was a post by someone in hospitality saying they should be furloughed over the winter. WTF!

In general, people with disabilities and older people are more likely to need to use their heating than working age people with no disabilities. So even with the same income it would be reasonable for the government to give her more support.

Also in general, working age people may have more opportunities to work extra hours to increase their income or ask for a pay rise than disabled pensioners.

There are no extra hours or pay rises to be had for those of us who already work full time, just tightening of belts.
I'm not convinced that you live in real life

Yanbu. Those on benefits will get too much help. Those working full time in middle income jobs are screwed.

Exactly what me and my Mum have been saying. It's workers who will suffer. I'm willing to believe they exist but I don't know a single pensioner or person on benefits who is struggling for money.

The squeezed middle lose out under every government

Not contentious at all - numerically true

YANBU.

How are the situations comparable?
Disabled pensioner vs young, not disabled family.
It isn’t great that anyone has to pay extortionate fees for energy but it’s neither up to the government to keep giving money for situations that arise nor people who qualify for benefits to worry about solving the problem.
The government should do something about the energy companies charging so much but it won’t.
And the ordinary pensioners, single people who pay nearly as much as a couple/family, families etc… EVERYONE (except the very rich) will suffer.

I don’t see how anyone on benefits is ‘rolling in it’, even if they are minority that are taking the piss. How much can they realistically be claiming?

Pretty much everyone needs help

I'm willing to believe they exist but I don't know a single pensioner or person on benefits who is struggling for money.

Quit you job then if you would be rolling in it so much on benefits.

I know plenty of pensioners who are living in poverty and are already struggling to manage.

I have a very young baby so have the need to heat my house too, probably to a similar level as a pensioner.

I'm a civil servant so have no option to ask for a payrise OR to increase my hours. Actually I could be 1 on the 91,000 to lose to be made redundant.

My husband already works 40+ hours so has no option to work addition hours and his boss has refused payrises. I suspect this is going to be the case for most retail workers.

Middle earners will struggle. Its not unreasonable to assume the government should help all households, equal to close to the amount they help pensioners who actually earn a middle income in benefits..

So you're saying that nobody will get a pay rise this year? None of us?

And nobody in full or part time employment can pick up extra weekend or evening shifts? None of us?

I think you're the one who's in your own bubble.

It's shit for everyone, really shit. but many (not all) able bodied workers have options that disabled people reliant on pension credits don't.

If Truss is leader she is saying tax cuts is way to go by raising base level at which people have to pay tax. ATM it is set at £12500 free pay before tax kicks in. I don't know what level she may raise it to but £14000 would be good. This way all those working benefit. Those on benefits already had a hand out and are getting another one end of September. Disabled are getting £150, not sure why they did not get same amount as those on UC or PC. Carers nothing.

Snap!

That's really broad - exactly which disabilities are you including here?

A person with a hearing loss does not need to put the heating on more than a person who doesn't have a hearing loss.

Disabled people are NOT a monolith, you know!

And many of them DO work - I do and can do overtime if necessary too. Well, you separated them out from "working people with no disabilities"!

You two need to get out more

This week's Chancellor of the Exchequer agrees with you that the energy prices will affect those on middle incomes.

I have no idea a but he pretends to be her carer and they have a fancy car, multiple designer dogs (bought their kid two puppies during lockdown), constant deliveries to the house and have just had another baby.

Maybe I should. I'll get my DH to quit too and pretend to be my carer while he drinks cans all day like my NDNs do.

The elderely and disabled with mobilty issues are at particularly at risk of hypothermia.