Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

WTF? £600 winter fuel allowance for all pensioners!

1000 replies

user1497207191 · 13/10/2023 13:34

No wonder the country has no money and the deficit/debt is getting bigger.

MIL just phoned up saying she'd got a letter telling her £600 was on the way to her and asking why, when she doesn't need it?

Just why??? She's not claiming means tested benefits. Her state and her husband's occupational pension are already far more than she needs to live on, meaning she saves a few hundred pounds a month into ISAs (which already stand at over £100k). Owns her own house, so no rent/mortgage.

Why the hell can't this money be directed at those who actually need it or more worthy causes? It's insane to keep throwing money at people who don't need it.

She doesn't need it, she doesn't want it. She wouldn't miss it if it wasn't paid to her.

If they can means test the child benefit and claw it back from those earning over £50k, why can't they come up with a way of ensuring winter fuel allowance is only paid to those who may need it? Why not only paid to those pensioners claiming pension credits, or rent allowance, or whatever?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
24
Nowherenew · 13/10/2023 18:10

TrickyD · 13/10/2023 17:55

I’ve just read more of the thread and discovered the £600 is only for the over 80s, Typical Tory trick, I’m not 80 until next year.

So if you’re 79 and poor you can’t get it but if you’re 80 and rich you can.

It should definitely be means tested and should be available to a much wider age range.

Some posters are saying to donate it but I don’t think you can, as often it goes on your electricity account automatically instead of in your bank account.

IClaudine · 13/10/2023 18:13

Zebedee55 · 13/10/2023 17:59

I worked all my adult life (as did my late DH), for what I get.

We watched as various groups (many young) got furlough, handouts and grants - many of which turned out to be fraudulent claims, because they weren't checked properly.

We didn't begrudge anyone anything.

And, I would like to note, I pay taxes on everything I get.

If you want to have a strop about benefits, best aim it at those who are either too young or whatever, to have paid anything into the system.🙄

Show quote history

I am not stropping about benefits. 🙄I was replying to hermammy's post, which said

Do you think anyone other than pensioners with £100k savings should get benefits?They don't as it's means tested, it's a shocking waste of public money.

in order to point out that people other than pensioners do in fact get non-means tested benefits. Which I am in support of.

Desdemonadryeyes · 13/10/2023 18:14

It goes into your bank account.

All pensioners get it. Older ones get more.

IClaudine · 13/10/2023 18:15

Nowherenew · 13/10/2023 18:10

So if you’re 79 and poor you can’t get it but if you’re 80 and rich you can.

It should definitely be means tested and should be available to a much wider age range.

Some posters are saying to donate it but I don’t think you can, as often it goes on your electricity account automatically instead of in your bank account.

Show quote history

You get £500 if you are under 80.

duchiebun · 13/10/2023 18:17

If you want to have a strop about benefits, best aim it at those who are either too young or whatever, to have paid anything into the system.

What a load of bullshit.

ErrolTheDragon · 13/10/2023 18:18

TrickyD · 13/10/2023 17:55

I’ve just read more of the thread and discovered the £600 is only for the over 80s, Typical Tory trick, I’m not 80 until next year.

Hasn't there always been age banding since it was set up? (in gordon browns day).

IClaudine · 13/10/2023 18:19

If you live alone or no one you live with is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment
You’ll get either:

£500 if you were born between 25 September 1943 and 24 September 1957
£600 if you were born before 25 September 1943
If you live with someone else who’s eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment

Your payment may be different if you get one of the following benefits:

Pension Credit
income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Income Support

If you do not get any of the benefits
You’ll get a payment of either:

£250 if you and the person you live with were both born between 25 September 1943 and 24 September 1957
£250 if you were born between 25 September 1943 and 24 September 1957 but the person you live with was born before 25 September 1943
£350 if you were born before 25 September 1943 but the person you live with was born between 25 September 1943 and 24 September 1957
£300 if you and the person you live with were both born before 25 September 1943

If you and your partner jointly claim any of the benefits
One of you will get a payment of either:

£500 if both of you were born between 25 September 1943 and 24 September 1957
£600 if one or both of you were born before 25 September 1943

Zebedee55 · 13/10/2023 18:21

Nowherenew · 13/10/2023 18:10

So if you’re 79 and poor you can’t get it but if you’re 80 and rich you can.

It should definitely be means tested and should be available to a much wider age range.

Some posters are saying to donate it but I don’t think you can, as often it goes on your electricity account automatically instead of in your bank account.

Show quote history

No, it doesn't.

The Winter Fuel Allowance goes into bank accounts.

The 'cold weather payments' - dependent on temperature and available to anyone on means tested benefits, may go elsewhere.

Last years fuel prop-up system, for all, went straight onto fuel accounts.

Pensioners may or may not decide to donate their fuel allowance - they can donate it where they like.

Seriously , these anti boomer/anti pensioner threads are so predictable.

Incorrect 'facts' and a sour attitude.

Todays young parents did not invent being poor - many of us have seen it, been there, got the T-Shirt.

But, we had to do it without childcare vouchers, without food banks, milk banks, clothes banks etc handing out freebies.

We had to do it with going without, Kwik-Save (crap food), and jumble sales..🙄

Flopsythebunny · 13/10/2023 18:22

WTF parents who earn over 100k will soon be able to claim 15 hours FREE childcare per week once their child is 3 years old? Why would someone on 100k need free childcare?

BIossomtoes · 13/10/2023 18:23

Some posters are saying to donate it but I don’t think you can, as often it goes on your electricity account automatically instead of in your bank account.

It doesn’t. And even if that was true, you could still donate an equivalent amount.

duchiebun · 13/10/2023 18:24

WTF parents who earn over 100k will soon be able to claim 15 hours FREE childcare per week once their child is 3 years old? Why would someone on 100k need free childcare?

They already get 15 hours free which isn't free childcare, it's subsidised. Why shouldn't it be? All taxpayers should feel they get something back even high earners.

BIossomtoes · 13/10/2023 18:25

duchiebun · 13/10/2023 18:24

WTF parents who earn over 100k will soon be able to claim 15 hours FREE childcare per week once their child is 3 years old? Why would someone on 100k need free childcare?

They already get 15 hours free which isn't free childcare, it's subsidised. Why shouldn't it be? All taxpayers should feel they get something back even high earners.

Except apparently pensioners.

duchiebun · 13/10/2023 18:26

But, we had to do it without childcare vouchers, without food banks, milk banks, clothes banks etc handing out freebies.

I'm sure plenty would swap that for more social housing & cheaper housing vs salary costs....

Zebedee55 · 13/10/2023 18:26

Flopsythebunny · 13/10/2023 18:22

WTF parents who earn over 100k will soon be able to claim 15 hours FREE childcare per week once their child is 3 years old? Why would someone on 100k need free childcare?

God knows. And then they begrudge pensioners, many still paying taxes, the fuel allowance..🙄

duchiebun · 13/10/2023 18:27

Except apparently pensioners.

State pension is a universal benefit is it not? And then there is pension credit?

BIossomtoes · 13/10/2023 18:28

duchiebun · 13/10/2023 18:26

But, we had to do it without childcare vouchers, without food banks, milk banks, clothes banks etc handing out freebies.

I'm sure plenty would swap that for more social housing & cheaper housing vs salary costs....

Would they also swap 15% interest rates on their mortgage and a basic rate of income tax of 33%?

duchiebun · 13/10/2023 18:28

My parents got the equivalent to child benefit when I was young, it was not means tested

Zebedee55 · 13/10/2023 18:28

duchiebun · 13/10/2023 18:26

But, we had to do it without childcare vouchers, without food banks, milk banks, clothes banks etc handing out freebies.

I'm sure plenty would swap that for more social housing & cheaper housing vs salary costs....

That is a failure of various governments, (Tory and Labour) not the fault of pensioners.

IClaudine · 13/10/2023 18:29

Zebedee55 · 13/10/2023 18:21

No, it doesn't.

The Winter Fuel Allowance goes into bank accounts.

The 'cold weather payments' - dependent on temperature and available to anyone on means tested benefits, may go elsewhere.

Last years fuel prop-up system, for all, went straight onto fuel accounts.

Pensioners may or may not decide to donate their fuel allowance - they can donate it where they like.

Seriously , these anti boomer/anti pensioner threads are so predictable.

Incorrect 'facts' and a sour attitude.

Todays young parents did not invent being poor - many of us have seen it, been there, got the T-Shirt.

But, we had to do it without childcare vouchers, without food banks, milk banks, clothes banks etc handing out freebies.

We had to do it with going without, Kwik-Save (crap food), and jumble sales..🙄

Show quote history

Oh stop it. Today's young people have it hard too, but in different ways. Older people like us had free university education and could get on the housing ladder without needing to mortgage ourselves up to the hilt and have help from our parents. You are as bad as the people blaming everything on pensioners.

Zebedee55 · 13/10/2023 18:29

duchiebun · 13/10/2023 18:28

My parents got the equivalent to child benefit when I was young, it was not means tested

No it wasn't. I got £1 a week for each of my two, which rose over time.

duchiebun · 13/10/2023 18:30

Would they also swap 15% interest rates on their mortgage and a basic rate of income tax of 33%?

I'm sure plenty would. 15% of a low number isn't that different to 5% of a high number. Plus as I said there was more social housing & housing costs to income was lower...

I'm not even young but I have no idea why young people put up with this shite.

duchiebun · 13/10/2023 18:31

@Zebedee55 are you confused? I was replying to a poster...

Zebedee55 · 13/10/2023 18:32

IClaudine · 13/10/2023 18:29

Oh stop it. Today's young people have it hard too, but in different ways. Older people like us had free university education and could get on the housing ladder without needing to mortgage ourselves up to the hilt and have help from our parents. You are as bad as the people blaming everything on pensioners.

Show quote history

Of course every generation has it hard - that's what I was saying. They didn't invent it. I never went in for a mortgage, so I haven't commented on that.

I don't begrudge the younger people anything, as I've got ACs and adult GCs (at Unis), but being poor with young children is nothing new.😗

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In
This thread is not accepting new messages.