What are all pensioners getting another £300 this winter??

[F0RBIDDENFRUIT]

They are amongst the richest people in the country, yes there are poor pensioners but a lot of them are way richer than anyone else.

£300 more for energy, none of the old people I know need this, they all have more money than their children.

Just because they vote, that is the only reason they can be doing this.

Is it sensible that we should subsidise people to hang onto large houses that don't need them, at the expense of younger families that need the space ?

Yes, get them to sell up and move into smaller houses or flats, so that first time buyers have even less chance of getting on the ladder. And if these pensioner's houses are all worth a million plus, how are younger families going to afford them any way?

Ageism comes from those who are bitter about their own choices and create a narrative to blame those not responsible because its easier.

Blames those in power, those who don't vote and those who prefer to moan but don't care for action.

The only reason the "old" have been enabled to the extent that they have in the UK is due the FPTP voting system.

In order to retain power (as a % minority party), the Conservatives have given more and more unsustainable benefits to the old for votes.

And look at the result.

The country is broke and productivity is going down.

At a certain point, we are going to have to stop enabling the pensioners. There is no way around that because we cannot borrow anymore to fund those excessive benefits.

The long-term actuarial math quite simply does not add up.

Op you don’t have to worry with the state of the health service, winter coming and new variants of Covid all the old people will die off then what will happen to the miserly £300?

Wow, the nastiness and ageism on here is unreal. Genuinely jaw dropping.

Oh I fully expected “I’m going to give my massive inheritance away to charity” from you, utter virtue signalling bollocks.

@SueVineer

no different to many people who work and don’t pay NI. So all those below the band required, but work the 16. Hours or whatever to ensure they can still claim benefits

and yes we pay, in exactly the same way my parents paid for their parents

Again,

You folks seem unable to be objective.

Feelings are not a substitute for informed facts.

Until you realise this, I don't see much of a future for the UK given its ageing demographic.

Yes. I am one of them.

I received no pension at all until I was 66.

I totally agree with this payment to those that need it but this just seems lazy. By all means keep the budget the same but means test it so those that need it get more.

My in laws who eat out once a week and go on holidays twice a year really don’t require it. Very happy for them but I think funds could be spent better.

There are other things that pensioners and the 'elderly' get free- like a TV licence and free prescriptions over 60 (despite the retirement age being 66/67.)

The reason is...

It's not economically viable to means test all pensioners. Costs more than the benefits they get.

And there are many pensioners living on the basic pension of around £8K pa.

Many pensioners- or should we say 'retirees' - are handing over a lot of their spare cash to help their young children. So it's going back into the economy one way or the other.

@Sallyh87 Do you not think that they have done the maths?

I thought everyone knew that means testing costs more than the £300 to X number of pensioners.

Yes but wrong. Twenty years ago they were told there would be an increase, the problem was the escalation. And they didn't lose they won and are still waiting for compensation.

Ah bless you.

Perhaps its that you are lacking in self confidence?

As you seem quite unable to engage with anyone without insults or shouting about how educated you are. (Of course we only have your word for it that you are 'educated' you claim to be)

Perhaps your self-declared 'education' is lacking?

Its interesting that your response to anyone with a different opinion to you is to either internet shout at them or just be insulting. Its a tremendously poor form of discourse.

Perhaps you just have an absence of emotional intelligence?

If you actually wish to persuade people to consider your opinions - its rather foolish to be obnoxious with every point you.

Perhaps you are just a knob?

Think - before commenting is my suggestion

Some don’t ‘need it’, many ‘need’ more.
You could argue that there are loads of wealthier families who still get child benefit/free school meals (although of course I know with CB there are tax issues to be considered when earning more than a certain figure).
Personally I’d rather the elderly got this than it spent in some other ways.

It should be targeted to those pensioners in need not those who own second homes etc. My parents get it and take great delight in spending it on something else. Not once have they spend it on heating. Purely buying votes and keeping DM readers happy.

It should be means tested, there are lots of very (VERY) wealthy pensioners, but there are also many who will rely on this to heat their homes over winter. Means test it like they do for other benefits. I would actually rather they did this and up the payment for the really poor people who live on just their state pension, which let's face it isn't much.

Some posts are laughable.

I can't recall any Labour government risking its neck EVER by cutting any benefit!

So it's only the Tories who reply on votes from the older sector of society?

Let's not bother to mention that Labour is in the hands of the Unions for much of their income.

Should be means tested for all (not just pensioners)

Pensioner benefits should be proportionate to the NI they have paid over their working life, not means tested.

Is she paying mortgage or rent? Because min wage isn't much more, and if you're paying mortgage/rent you'll have less than she does and not get the £300...

Purely buying votes and keeping DM readers happy.

@JT69 So you think that Labour or the Libdems would take money away from pensioners by means testing?

When has Labour ever cut back on benefits?

Hahahahahahahaha!

There is a lot wrong with the benefit system - of course it isn't perfect, no system is (although the UKs seems particularly bad).

Why are you so angry about this one very specific topic for one group that receives benefits when it is just a tiny drop in the ocean - there are much bigger fish out there!

I am not here to teach you. You can learn on your own time.

If you are wrong about something that I am expert in, I will tell you.

Its actually pretty simple to me.

Of course it should be means tested and there is a massive generational divide on means testing for benefits, where the young are tested and older groups not.

Perhaps that was tenable when we spent properly on education and policing, But the balance is now totally skewed. Young people and children need support and spending. Otherwise not much of a future is being planned for.