WTF? £600 winter fuel allowance for all pensioners!

[user1497207191]

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?

I take it your MIL has only recently a pensioner? This has been the deal for at least the last 13 years since my DM was a pensioner and the last 8 years since my DD hit state pension age. My DP live off the interest of DMs investments and inheritance and my DD still works. He only went PT since Covid.

My parents spread the wealth downwards and spoil my kids (their DGC) rotten. Perhaps suggest MIL does the same?

That's what I was about to say.
My mother is getting it too, she's over 80 and now is starting to really feel the cold. Her retirement flat is all electric and costs as much for utilities as my much larger 3 bed house. This money will mean she can warm the flat up once the storage heater cool off by mid afternoon. She has a pension, and a private pension (no benefits or top ups) but this will be well used.

My mother was similar to some above with not getting any benefits by a few pounds a week, her house was freezing cold (no central heating) and she wouldn't have claimed it if she could because she didn't want charity.

Rubbish. Not all oaps are Tory ffs 🙄

Means testing isn't expensive at all, HMRC hold all the information required. This is blatant electioneering. The irony is that quite often you get the "poor pensioner" card being played, then when they request yet another benefits check they've actually got a substantial income plus capital. None of which they want to spend

Tell her to donate it to the local food bank! They'll be needing every penny they can get!

Wow. That is an absolutely awful, twisted way of looking at it. And really, very ageist!
As if most loving grandparents, would be happy to see their family struggling, they do everything they can to help!

It's too expensive to means test it so they just send it to all.

Gets the Tory voters doesn't it.

Bless my mum, she always gives hers to me and siblings. I rarely heat my house due to cost so this is very kind and always welcome. She has far more money than I'll ever hope to have.

Envy, Ageism and ignorance all on one thread.
such fun.

Disgusting isn't it.

This.
Just another boring, ageist have-a-pop at older folk post on MN.

I hope this is a joke (albeit in very bad taste).

^This

I suspect it's serious unfortunately.

Ok those that are saying that winter fuel allowance is there cos Tories need pensioners voting for them. you realise that it was introduced by Labour in 1997 right? your arguement makes zero sense

Many older people do not and will never vote Tory, instead voting Labour or Liberal etc.

Many younger people don’t bother to vote at all!! Perhaps if those apathetic younger people got off their backsides at election time, the Tories wouldn’t keep getting in.

The Ageism on Mumsnet is appalling.

I do hope those who don't need this payment consider donating the money to charity or to their children who may be currently feeling the squeeze with massive childcare costs, stagnant/falling wages, interest rate hikes on mortgages and COL rises.

Every poster saying its cheaper to give to everyone than to means test it, can you prove it??

The government must love the ignorant thinking that propogates the hatred of the old seen clearly in this thread. "Look over there Granny took all your money, not our mates' tax dodging hedge funds" It's sickening.

Can you prove it isn't?

Such an ignorant, ageist comment.

Exactly. It might have made more sense, if it hadn't been introduced by the '97 Tony B Liar government - it was up to £300 back then. Which I reckon, with inflation over that period, is probably around £600 now anyway. And as with all benefits, it's easy to add them, not so easy to take them away. Not that it matters that much, as means testing would cost more, and it'll taxable so for those that, admittedly in the OPs view, don't need it then £120/£240/£270 will go straight back to HMRC :)

Yup. Just like the anti disability and anti immigrant rhetoric.
You can fool some of the people all of the time