To rant about government financial help

[Alittlenonsensenowandthen]

Firstly, I'll say that I've previously been in receipt of financial help from govt and extremely grateful and also want those who need help to be helped, but...
I've now met two people (retired) who are telling me what they're spending their fuel allowance on (new flat screen TV, holidays, new sofas). This is not an agiest or benefit bashing thread but it just gets my goat that there are people happily spending money given for heating on luxuries. It's not actually their fault - they haven't asked for the money, it wasn't means tested so arguably why not spend it and see it as bonus money. If govt wants to help, it needs to pay for things directly surely?
Just really bugging me at the moment because we're fine financially but only just, and we earn too much for help.
Argh! Just needed a rant to the ether this eve!

Good point to be fair, these super wealthy old people posters often start threads about have likely paid far more tax in their working lives and beyond than those who moan about them getting it so why not. The government wastes so much money that I can't get too worked up about a scheme that does benefit and is needed by lots of pensioners who are some of the most vulnerable in society.

We'll head this, my parents took us all out for dinner with theirs last year, supporting a local independent business, their supply chain etc. the cost of means testing is quite high and it creates a cliff edge (just as pension credit does) where you can be better off because you weren't responsible and saved for a modest pension

But it was quite common for pensioners to die of hypothermia

I think most people are happy for pensioners who are struggling to get the payment though.

But I just interviewed a load of retired people for a voluntary position and all of them (because it was vaguely relevant) took great delight in telling me about their portfolio of investment properties....

It's their tenants who need the winter fuel payment not them

I'd rather the pensioners have a bit of extra money than Liz Truss's idea of cutting the tax for the ultra rich. Guess who spends their money back in the economy buying sofas, tvs and holidays!.

Next year l will get the £600 winter fuel allowance l turn 66. I can't wait.. means l won't have to worry about putting the heating on or the tumble dryer. I am £500 in debit with my fuel bill and could do with it now. Yes some pensioners are in credit because they have managed to pay more off.. so they are using theirs for something else.. which l would/ will do.. if l manage to pay more each week and get in credit.. so what does it matter how people manage their money and bills?

To be fair, by spending the money on something other than energy bills, far more of it goes back into the "pot" in the form of taxes (VAT, corporation for both supplier and manufacturer, personal tax for staff and NI, business rates). At least it's being spent.

People in the south have way higher costs of living than in the north.

With housing yes, but most pensioners will be living in mortgage free houses anyway. Heating, electricity, food, broadband, train tickets, general goods etc all cost the same whether you're living in the north or the south. I'm not sure if petrol is cheaper up north, but other than that most things other than housing are pretty much the same in cost as they would be down south.

The WFA is for heating, which will cost the same per unit wherever you are if you are on the variable rate. But people up north will be using more units heating their homes over the winter months as it's colder.

Also, the WFA is usually £200 for most pensioners, it's only higher this year as they got a £300 cost of living payment. It will likely go back to £200 next year.

I hate to tell you this but this extra has been given for 2 years only and the £600 is only for the over 80s (under 80s received £500). It may change but I doubt it.
Also if there are 2 of you in the house - both pensioners - you only receive one allowance

He must have applied for it.

As far as I'm aware the payment is £250 per person if you and the person you live with were both born between 25 September 1943 and 24 September 1957

I will be 66 early next year and have just put in a claim for my state pension, I had to put my spouse details and am now wondering if I won't get the payment as DH is three years younger than me, his pension age is 67. Maybe I have to wait until he is a pensioner as well

Your feelings aren't odd, OP.
To add a bit to what PPs have said about the admin costing so much it's not worth making it means tested, there's a second aspect.

For two main reasons:

a) not able to apply successfully (cognitive issues, fatigue, vision problems etc)
b) "I never accept charity"
a certain number of pensioners would end up just freezing to death for lack of the winter fuel payment.

Government decided that would be a bad look (possibly because pensioners as a whole vote more frequently!).

No you will get the full amount until he retires then you will get half each.

It seems strange the higher payment is for people who are the only pensioner in the house, even if they live with others. My friend is getting the full amount (£500) because they're the only pensioner in the household, even though they live with their younger wife who is still working on a high salary.

It's been explained ad nauseam that people just over the pension credit threshold are struggling.

And that not all people you scornfully describe as powerful Boomers vote Tory. Do you think any party is likely to reduce benefits for pensioners?

Sorry to burst your bubble but you’ll probably get £200, which is the standard winter fuel allowance for state pensioners. Thats it unless the government decide to continue with the extra £300 that we got last year, and are getting this year, due to the huge rise in fuel costs. There’s no guarantee the extra will be paid again.

Over 80s get £300 WFA, plus the extra £300 this year and last.

How many benefit bashing threads that claim not to be benefit bashing do we need. There's a thread about winter fuel allowance every couple of days, complaining about people getting it who don't "deserve it".

Answer, just like triple lock, political parties live pandering to the powerful boomer and elderly cohort, coz they are a big group, they vote and highly likely to vote Tory..

Politicians doing things to benefit the demographic that reliably votes for them in general elections. Well I never. Bet you'd never catch any of the other parties doing anything so shamefully vote grabbing. 🙄

https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment

And how dare those evil boomers vote, how very dare they.

Could you give more details please? Exactly how flat is their new 'flat screen tv'?

But she doesn't care about facts. Boomer bashing is so much more satisfying than that pesky 'thinking' faff.

Or maybe it’s just fiction.