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?

My dad gives it to me. He's rarely at home, gets more in pension than I do working and doesn't feel the cold

Because they are billions of pounds not a few million it makes it cost effective to means test.
The #1 reason for UC replacing most means tested benefits was to save on the admin costs.

How is she getting £600? You only get that if you live alone. You said she’s lives with her husband…

For every ‘Pensioner’ on MN with thousands in the bank, there are hundreds of thousands with nothing, sitting there freezing.

https://www.nea.org.uk/support-us/winter-fuel-payment/ - people who don't need it can donate it here.

Or, there are lots of local fuel poverty charities who accept donations. Just google ' fuel poverty' and the name of your city/county and see if anything comes up.

But yes, it's bonkers that its not means tested when so many things are.

So means test it and those who have nothing and are freezing will still get it.

No they don’t. HMRC only have your taxable income on file. They do not know the balance of your savings account, or your rent/mortgage for example.

It's not actually £600 for ALL pensioners.

https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/how-much-youll-get

It was actually introduced by Gordon Brown.

The idea that means testing would cost more than it would save is patently nonsense. We manage it just fine with countless other benefits.

It's down to votes. That's all. Rich pensioners vote tory. Can't risk upsetting them and diverting some of that money to the people who need it.

MIL sometimes gives hers to DH. She knows we struggle much more with heating bills than she does.

Utter bollocks

Actually, google 'donate your winter fuel payment' and your area. That seems to come up with better results.

It's not nonsense.

Other benefits are worth much more than £600 per year, and as PP said, one of the reasons for the switch to UC was to save on admin costs.

I agree it should be universal and not means tested as it’s usually the people who marginally miss out on means tested benefits that need them the most and also lots of pensioners don’t claim the benefits they are entitled to anyway .

My mum is on benefits and doesn’t pay rent, but still manages fine. She is giving me hers this year, as my dentist is no longer taking NHS patients, so I’ve had to find a private dentist £600 won’t go far.

Do the maths. It’s a simple cost benefit analysis.

But then they'd have to think, and that's inconvenient

Older people in general are more likely to vote full stop - whoever they vote for. So, unfortunately for the rest of us, it's in the interests of any party to do things that make older people happy.

Well they could just give it to people on benefits but that would trigger a whole new wave of outrage.

This.

She is free to donate it to someone or a charity that needs it!

DFOD.

I think, even if means testing does cost "more than it saves" the net result would be that the people who need it get more and the people who don't need it so much get less.

Is that a good enough cost-benefit analysis for you?

The ageism on this thread, and on Mumsnet in general, is appalling. Just remember, you OAP haters, you'll be old one day.

And those who have just over the threshold and don't qualify will also freeze. But you don't care, do you? Let them die, they're old and worthless and might vote the wrong way. Or might not, but hey, details.

You don't know what a cost-benefit analysis means, do you?