To think that with over 1million pensioners in poverty, removing the WFA makes Labour the nasty party, who tell blatant lies?

[TealTraybake]

And hypocritical lies at that. Just a few months ago Labour ‘vowed to be the party for pensioners’

‘Nearly 1 million people aged over 66 in the UK are living in deprivation, according to government statistics, the highest number since comparable records began.
Labour, which analysed figures from Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) records, has vowed to be the party for pensioners, with plans to insulate millions of homes and reduce energy bills. It has also “committed to retaining” the triple lock which guarantees annual rises to the state pension’

I understand the WFA should be means tested - but the current threshold is far too low. Food prices have gone up. Energy prices have gone up. Some pensioners need that WFA 🥺.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/apr/16/nearly-1m-uk-pensioners-deprivation-official-figures

Thing is if they can’t pay their bills they’re probably not maintaining their asset either. Downsizing would be best all round.

Maintain as in continuing to own it despite relying on additional because they claim they can’t pay their bills.

They could still sell up though and get a fuck load of money, and buy something much smaller/more modest. (And have a substantial sum in savings afterwards!) I have no sympathy for anyone professing to be poor/on the bones of their arse when they're sitting in a million pound house. Sell up and buy somewhere cheaper. Plenty of other people have to.

As a pp said, younger people are told to do that on here, why should pensioners be treated any differently? It's bad enough that they're not affected by the bedroom tax, and can languish in 3 and 4 bedroom (rented-from-the-council) family homes, on full housing benefit. Why should they be allowed to sit on a million pound house whilst claiming poverty?

.

We plan to downsize, and to relocate too. But it takes time and a lot of viewings. If all of them involve a 400 mile round trip, as ours do, then it won't happen very quickly.

You assume the people living in such houses would even know how to sell etc. If their house is in such a state, it can be safely assumed they don't have family regularly visiting to make sure they are ok.

Your last paragraph is confusing. Someone is on a council house is not asset rich, because they don't own their house.
My parents are pensioners, are in a 3 bed council house. They still pay full rent, and are not on housing benefit. My mum still works, so that might be why.

Younger people are much more mobile than pensioners. They can downsize, and then move up again. Elderly can't.

You assume the people living in such houses would even know how to sell etc

Presumably they knew how to buy.

Why are you assuming all or even most pensioners who live in large houses have decrepit wasting away properties?

And the “don’t know how to sell” comment is so patronising. What is with the people who think everyone over the age of 65 is completely incapable?

People over the age of 65 are no less able to move than young people. There are 13 million pensioners, the majority of them will be completely capable of basic life tasks.

Exactly. All these infantilising comments are crazy. All pensioners aren’t these frail, pale old people who don’t know how to operate in society or use a phone. The vast majority of them will be more than capable and wouldn’t exactly be happy with some of these portrayals.

Some are though.. obviously not all.. but there are some.

I’d argue they are more mobile as they don’t have careers they are tied to.

If they live near their families their mobility is limited.

I’d disagree. Not all pensioners want to be near their family. I know many who have moved to cheaper parts of the country to release equity and blow on cruises. Up to them,

Using my own grandad as an example. He borrowed money from his parents as a late teen (was married by then), and bought a house outright for £360.
I can't do the math on the year, but he died in his late 80s just before Covid. He lived and died in that same house
Why would he know about selling over 60 years later?

No, but they may have a support network. Things like friends, family, church, volunteer roles etc.

And? So do lots of younger people who are told to relocate to somewhere they can afford.

Your support network becomes far more important as you get older. We’re not living in the part of the country we love most because it’s too far from our adult kids.

It's important for people to maintain support as they get elderly

I know people are keen for houses to be left but a few more years within their communities and then they will be left anyway

I am always surprised by how cruel people can be. I see old people are the latest hate figures.

There's a thread on here about how difficult it is for someone's elderly mum to buy a suitable home for her needs and people seem to want to ship pensioners off where they have no essential family support! No they are not more mobile than people with jobs. Age brings infirmity and dependence on others and any new homes must take this into account.

Removing the winter fuel allowance it utterly indefensible imo, especially when MPs have nice, warm constituency offices and second homes. I bet the radiators will be on in parliament too. Bus passes are meant to be for the chop as well, I haven't forgotten Starmer's crocodile tears over poor Elsie spending all day on the bus to keep warm, well she can't do that this winter.

Anyway, yet another Starmer corruption scandal has come out with undeclared gifts - turns out not only does he need someone to buy his clothes for him, his wife does too. I wonder how many pensioners could be saved from freezing to death with the money he's saved with all his freebies.

An older person could well have been living in the same area for most of their life.
Their house is their home, but so are their local friends, family, even the local shop.
Loneliness is a killer, and is a real problem with elderly people. Telling them to up sticks to save a few quid is ridiculous.

Couldn't agree more.

I don’t agree. Not with the age or retirement rising too. It’s about time that pensioners have to consider the options other economic groups have to. It’s now becoming a luxury. Much like young families are told its a luxury to live in their home town.

Is it? Yet how many younger people are told that on here? Nope. I won;t agree on this. I think it’s about time that the older generation faces these tough choices too. For far too long they’ve been happy to see younger generations prices out of their home towns. Tough really,

I couldn't agree more. We have a few elderly widows on our street. They have support, they also have neighbours who look out for them, the shops they use, the walks etc

I'd defend their ability to stay in the homes they've had for decades over what I'm reading here and the people wanting them on the market can wait a few more years.

I don’t care whether you agree or not. It’s a fact, not a matter of opinion. Your lack of awareness of the reality of old age is quite breathtaking. Have you never met an old person?

From what I read on here - many are breathtakingly selfish.