Idiots

[BayBoy1]

So what is wrong with Idiot Duncan Smith? he wants to stop the Winter fuel allowance for ex pat pensioners, who have paid into the scheme all their working life, and now we have that prat Cable who wants to tax pensioners on their Bus passes .What planet are they from???

[BRIGHT SPARK]

...and so the divide and conquer continues!

[pdq1]

Don't worry the Winter Fuel Allowance will be eroded by inflation as the amount paid will stay the same. Initially they brought in a £10 gift to pensioners and that wouldn't even pay for the firelighters now.

[New Judge]

And and by the way, not all ex-pat pensioners live in stifling heat. Many live in Scandinavian countries, Germany, France, the low countries, and parts of Canada and the USA where it gets considerably colder than in the UK. But as I said earlier, what they spend their cash on is their business.

[ladybirder]

New Judge, I paid full NI contributions plus additional pension contributions known as SERPS. I have just had a letter from the DWP telling me that in April my BENEFITS will increase by ...... This infuriates me. When I have spoken to them on the phone and been asked what benefits I get and I say none, I was reprimanded and told my SP and SERPS were benefits.

Oh and it should be easy enough to means test pensioners for the Winter Fuel Allowance - just give it to those who get Pension Credit as hc has suggested. They have already been means tested to get the PC so no problem.

[Gromit]

sqad,
No Government will take it away because it would be very unpopular with a large and important voting demographic - the grey voters. Major, Blair and Cameron needed their votes to win.

This thread is about taking it away from a very few otherseas pensioners and look at the flack IDS is recieving.

[THECORBYLOON]

Ladybirder, what do you think the State Pension is if not a benefit?

[Sqad]

gromit.......exactly....it remains for political reasons.

[BayBoy1]

VHG for your own good keep taking the tablets, and also get your facts correct, when you are out off the Uk more than three months ,one no longer gets what you call FREE HEALTH SERVICE,TREATMENT they have paid for it anyway you look at it ?. They paid for it by paying years of NIS contributions ,Which is now being used to finance strangers to the UK. wait until the Romanians arrive.to claim the winter fuel allowance and free bus passes.who are the prats???

[emmie]

so Labour would do what, leave it as it is, or get rid of it for ex pats..

[pdq1]

If a pensioner receives more than the average wage (about £25,000 pa) then it should be taxed. However most pensioners living on £10,000 pa are currently taxed and any taxation to benefits would also apply to them.

[emmie]

do you know any pensioner who gets an income of 25k or more?

[ladybirder]

corby, because it's a Right based on contributions. If you haven't made enough contributions then you don't get the full amount unlike, say, HB for instance where I don't think it is a requirement to have made a certain number of contributions. My private pension isn't called a Benefit, why should my state one be?
If I am wrong about HB and contributions then no doubt I shall be quickly corrected.

[boxtops]

em, yes, I do - people who are claiming their State pension and also an occupational pension (some more than one) - paid for from salary over the years.

[THECORBYLOON]

Ladybirder would you say contribution based Jobseeker's Allowance is a benefit?

[ladybirder]

pdq as I understand it, pensioners on £25k are taxed and those on £10k aren't.

[boxtops]

absolutely, ladybirder - the over 65's tax allowance (about £8k) applies to people earning over that limit, everything else is taxed.

[ladybirder]

corby I know nothing about JSA so not equipped to answer.

[THECORBYLOON]

What do you think is meant by a benefit then?

[hc4361]

The tax allowance for over 65s is £10500.
That's an income of £200 per week before paying tax.