To say the £35k winter fuel threshold is way too high!

[chocolateismyweakness4]

The threshold needed to be raised, but £35k?! I wish I earned that and I have a mortgage and commuting costs. It also doesn’t take into account savings (so they could have millions in the bank) or household income.

We all know it’s a bribe, but they still won’t get pensioners to vote for them.

Bus fares are capped in England and Wales. Cheapest way to travel.

Pity the disabled don’t have the same sway.

That, or you can just opt out. Only Labour could make it so complicated and labour intensive to operate.

Get what tax free? They have the same tax thresholds as anyone else. The only thing they don’t pay is NI.

ugh posted reply on wrong post

Sorry I meant the fuel allowance is tax free not their pension.

But 35k is still much higher than lots of working people's incomes who don't qualify for any benefits

Some people really do spout crap, don’t they? Yeah, anyone over 66 pays no tax. That sounds likely, doesn’t it 🙄

Is it? I thought it was taxed as part of income - the original argument for giving it to all was that in the case of wealthier pensioners it would be clawed back in tax anyway wasn’t it?

Who gets what tax free ?

The winter fuel payment is not taxed

If you've got student loans to repay you're presumably of a generation that has quite a number of years ahead of you to plan and make changes in order to have a better retirement. Anyone who is 66 now doesn't have that opportunity. And they would also have not benefitted from the compulsory employer contribution pensions, available today, for a huge chunk of their working life.

Fair enough. Must have misremembered. It’s only £200 though, so the point is a bit moot.

But it will be in future for those above the threshold.

You do realise they removed WPA from anyone receiving the state pension of just £11,500 per year… So yes, the very poorest who were on pension credit and didn’t even get this received WPA, but that’s it.

The leap from no cap to a measly £11,500, then back to £35,000 is the issue. The could have “won” if they set it at around £20,000 or so, like many (such as myself) suggested last year. Sure, some people would have still moaned, but it wouldn’t have been the millstone around their neck that it’s become…

Incompotence upon incompetence! Rachel Reeves needs to go!

About 5% have a mortgage same again privately rent.

That means you’re in the youngest cohort this could affect and you’ve had 33 years notice. Some waspi women had barely three years.

Meanwhile teachers’ pay rises go unfunded. I think it’s disgusting. Labour have overreacted to the local election results and will hopefully come a cropper in more serious elections in due course as a result.

I'm not sure why so many people are so worked up about either way as it's 200 quid in a one off payment per household not a monthly or weekly payment like almost all other benefits.
Personally I think 35k is too high but at least the richest pensioners won't receive it.

All pensioners income is taxable above the standard thresholds.

The extra £4.5 billion into education will help with that, though I do agree they should be fully funded in addition to this.

Council tax £200 I wish.

Yes someone in pp mentioned back benchers but it was more the local elections.

I agree, it's not much just £200 pa. I can't get worked up over it.

They won’t get it at all. It will all be clawed back. 100% tax.

I was really surprised to find that so many posters on here think that pensioners don't pay income tax. If your income is £35k then you will pay income tax on every pound over the personal allowance of £12,570 regardless of age, So a pensioner with an income of £35k will not be taking home around £3k a month. Can't be bothered to put the figures into a tax calculator and work out how much it is

They pay tax but they don’t pay NI (which is basically a tax).