Has the Government shot itself in the foot?

[Fernie6491]

Just wondering about the idea of the government stopping winter fuel payments for us oldies.

i admit we are comfortably enough off, to not actually need it, but they say those claiming pension credit etc., will still be paid the fuel allowance.

The goverment spokespeople say not all pensioners who could claim pension credit are doing so. If this prompts those pensioners to claim their due, the government will be paying out a whole lot more than they currently do, plus the allowance .

They seem to have shot themselves in the foot, trying to save money, but actually will end up paying out even more to those who previously never claimed benfits. Is this correct, or am I going mad?

Most of the train operating companies are now financed directly by the government under contract following the decline in passenger numbers due to Covid lockdowns/WFH etc. So basically the Govt is controlling the train operating companies now. The TOCs can't increase wages without the funding being increased by Govt.

Well, if it encourages pensioners who were not claiming credits when they should then it's a good thing. Better for the money to be going to those actually in need rather than a blanket benefit.

It may cost this government more, but that just goes to show how little the Tories actually cared for pensioners, they should have been encouraging them to claim the credits they had the right to

I have no issue with the policy in principle. It's the right thing to do. But they should have means tested it properly. There are people living on less than minimum wage who won't get it because they have a small private pension so aren't eligible for pension credit. It's ill thought out and implemented and I'm ashamed to live in a country that treats our elderly like this.