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

Yes you have a point. The amount of top ups given to families is crazily out of control.

Seconded

Where are the 350,000 children going to come from? Are we going to import them?

@Changingplace

"Even on a minimum wage job there’s a contribution from an employer and over a working life the ability to pay into a pension to cover a similar standard of life with the addition of a state pension."

What are you talking about?

There hasn't been anyone who's had a full working life since the introduction of universal work place pensions.

Do retired nurses with modest pensions and savings deserve it?

This thread is full of different opinions which
I respect.
Let's see what happens in October.
Meanwhile, a little about pensioners in my own country, not Britain. Obviously in general.
What I remember vividly from recent past is how the people at productive age were literally on their knees, crying with exhaustion and desperation.
I realise it's got very little to do with WFA here.
Pensioners in my country in general are lazy, greedy poison spitting bastards, some still from the famous Silent Generation, famous for abusing their kids.
Projecting a lot, struggling to sympathise.
Just another thought.

There’s always been the option of paying into a pension even before universal workplace pensions, if people made a decision not to pay into one that was a person’s decision.

The state can’t continue to support everyone on a blanket basis because they’ve chosen not to plan for their future, people didn’t have to wait to be made to pay into a pension.

£3 a week is £156 per year. So everyone is up in arms because someone on a basic pension will be effectively 85p a week worse off than a person claiming pension credit who is still receiving the WFA?

What about single adults who are living on £90 a week JSA? Shouldn’t they get a WFA?

Pensioners on £12,000 a year are not ‘well off’! Good grief, what planet are you on? 😂

But this Labour government considers them too wealthy to need the winter fuel allowance.

If you’re working I expect you earn more than £12,000 a year. Under the new definition of wealthy you will be considered absolutely loaded.

And you’ll be taxed into oblivion come October. 😂

Was just about to post this 🤣 how many pensioners do you actually know?! I’m sure not everyone has the same views as mum & dad!

Cca 1 million lives in powerty and cca 1 million will still get it.

(Thought, sliding scale or a second, slightly higher, band with half the amount would be more sensitive)

So if you're up against it with rising rents, food, energy what to you cut out to meet your requirement against judgement?

They have planned for the future. They worked the necessary years, which are many. They've avoided pension credit.

I'm guessing you are not on minimum wage?

What on earth are you talking about?!

I have thought about moving overseas for the weather for yonks, but diddly day dreams. For the first time, I am actually starting to think about the idea for real. Not saying that we are sqillionaires; just that I can see living a nicer life outside the UK. And before anyone asks, it won't be tax privileged, just buying a house that's expensive enough to qualify for residency, and yes, I would still be paying tax.

WTF are you on about?

I think that you will find that she is not the only MP to do so. They all do it. The whole system of MP's expenses, second home allowances needs to be looked at. Criticise them all, don't just single her out.

No they won't. Pensioners living on around £12,000 are not well off. There would be outcry if the government decided to make "difficult decisions" and start stripping away child benefit / universal credit from families. There would rightly be outrage if we expected families to live in poverty so why is it ok to expect vulnerable pensioners to live on such a meagre amount.

Yep if the pp and others think £12k is well off then they'd better start thinking about those extra taxes

Cuts for all the other parts of society mean cuts for all the other parts of society.

Cuts for pensioners still mean pensioners are +£100 up, since they're getting £400 more in payments in total.

How they always manage to come up smelling of roses and still complaining is beyond me. Pretty sure they're the only demographic being given more money for nothing and still think they're within their rights to complain.

If you want to spend less on fuel, downsize your house. The equity will pay for your energy bills for life even if you sit at 30 degrees all year round, and then some.

For heavens sake, you have to allow MPs some slack. I would not do the job for the salary they get. Pay peanuts, get monkeys. I earned more than an MP does in 2024, in 2000, self employed, for eight months very concentrated work a year.

Some are genuinely trying to do their best for society.

I think scrapping the bus pass, is alot worse to be honest. At least the scrapping of the allowance isn't for all pensioners. I agree this certainly is the nasty party.

It's sickening looking at the expenses, what other job do you get your heating paid etc. Obviously, if Labour want to be seen as everyone in it together, they need to set an example with themselves.

Is your post ironic? They are paid a lot more than ‘peanuts’?

I think it would be great PR for them if they came out and said we’re going to cut heating allowances for MPs? As you’ve rightly said, no other job (well I can’t think of any?) would provide a heating allowance?

Multi millionaire former Tory minister Nadhim Zahawi claimed nearly £6k for powering up his wife’s stables at their second home.

Oops.

Bus passes are going to be scrapped.