What are you most looking forward to if Labour win?

[Georgieporgypud]

Presuming theyre going to win the election, what manifesto promises are you hopeful about?

For me it's going to be their promise to fast track rape trials, providing proper support to rape victims and targeted support within the police for victims of domestic violence.

Let's hope they make it happen.

Impact assessments are generally published alongside finance bills, which will be where this measure sits legislatively.

I agree there will be impacts, particularly in the North where pensioner incomes and wealth tend to be lower. I'd probably prefer to see a broader target group - but that doesn't detract from the idea of a universal benefit for what the ONS tells us are among our wealthiest demographics, and who retain the benefit of the triple lock. Pensioner income demographics increasingly mirror the overall picture when you look by quintile. The arguments for universality are weak.

My point was that it's totally unsurprising that this has happened and I don't think it is an automatic harbinger of doom. It's a poorly-targeted, expensive policy that the Treasury has wanted to scrap for years.

It hasn’t been cut for poor pensioners.

Yes it has.

Anyone who relies solely on a state pension topped up by Pension Credit to £218.15 a week will get it.

Anyone who relies solely on the state pension of £221.20 won't.

Presumably the second group are supposed to save up the £3.05 per week difference to pay for fuel. Which is less than the WFP - £300 divided by 52 is £5.77 per week.

That assumes heating is needed year round. It isn’t. If you assume heating is needed for half the year - and that’s generous - it’s £11.54 per week.

But it is needed in some areas. We had it on in July it was so cold,

Theres also a big north/south divide here. It’s much colder in north than SE.

Come on, if you put your heating on in July it wasn’t a need. It’s because you’re nesh!

The WFP was paid in November and December as a lump sum, when it was needed.

My point is that those relying solely on the full state pension get £3.05 more per week than those relying solely on pension + pension credit

I said presumably they would be expected to save that difference all year round in order to pay for fuel in winter - but £3.05 x 52 is £158.60, not £300.

And only those over 80 got £300. Pensioners under 80 got £150.

I've just checked, I got £500 last winter and I'm not yet 80. In line with this
"If you live alone or no one you live with is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment
You’ll get either:

• £500 if you were born between 25 September 1943 and 24 September 1957
• £600 if you were born before 25 September 1943"

https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/how-much-youll-get

Meaning having to save £9.61 per week from the full state pension to make up for losing that.

Last year was an anomaly. The standard rate if you’re under 80 is £150.

I haven't any family or children so the inheritance tax doesn't affect me as I think the government or crown just get the lot anyway, though my house is only worth about £300k

If you have absolutely no relatives your estate would go to the Crown
It is more likely that it will go to a distant cousin
Maybe consider making a will leaving your estate to a charity you support

My dad lives on £240 per week so an extra £150 (and the loss of it) is a big deal to him.

I’m loving the Labour benefit scrounger bashers!

Who’d have guessed? The flexibility of Labour supporters’ consciences is a sight to behold.

It is astounding

Where are they? I haven’t seen any.

I haven't either, not a clue what that poster is on about.

Explanations or thread links would be great.

You haven’t seen any threads where Labour supporters defend Reeves cutting welfare payments to pensioners?

I haven’t seen any about trans issues, MILs or parking.

🙄

Of course I have. So basically you're going for a false equivalence here then. The bottom line is that cold weather payments are going to people who do not need them, and given the state of the public purse that needs to change. Child Benefit is means tested. Universal Credit is means tested. Why shouldn't the Winter Fuel payment be means tested? Pensioners have been protected over working age people for 14 years. I'm not saying they must now be targeted, but everyone should take their share of the tough times. That includes me - a basic rate taxpayer of working age who fully expects taxes to go up for me. And I'm OK with that.

Making winter fuel payments means tested is in no way comparable to the misery the previous government inflicted on disabled people. Nor is it comparable to the ideologically punishing benefit cap or the 2 child benefit cap which have put a lot of children in poverty.

Exactly that. I’m losing winter fuel allowance. I don’t need it. I’ve said that several times, no mention of “benefit scroungers”.

A lot of disgruntled Tory voters trying to twist the truth imo.

Or maybe Tory (or generally non-Labour voters) who want to poke fun at Labour falsehoods and hypocrisy.

There is no hypocrisy.

Of course there is. The tweet from RR shows that.

To take WFA from pensioners that are on basic state pension is dreadful. Labour claims to be looking after the poorest in society, they would have lambasted the Tories if they did the same.

Poor pensioners will be worse off this winter, worse off under a Labour Government.