Winter Fuel Payment To Go ?

[mikey4444]

Labour have announced that they will axe the Winter Fuel payment for wealthy people. Its not really a party political issue as the Tories have muttered about doing something similar. This will save about £100m a year, which is a lot of Libraries. What do we think here on AB ?

Personally I am not sure why they should get it in the first place, just like Child Benefit. Handouts like this should go to those that really need it.

[1ndex]

If everyone bought private health insurance, premiums would reflect capacity & risk. Expect less stress on surgeries & hospitals for minor ailments and no free treatments.

[lynbrown]

To admin any means testing would cost more than the winter allowance itself.

[FredPuli43]

Index, the answer, if you don't want the NHS system, is to do what the Netherlands do.Make health insurance compulsory but then force insurers to offer an all-embracing, no-restrictions, package at a cheap price. ( If you suspect that there is still some government subsidy hidden somewhere, so do I).

How that would stop people turning up at doctors or hospitals with minor complaints is not clear. It is not clear with any private health insurance, unless you think insurers can exclude treatments. Do you want that?

[Zeuhl]

/To admin any means testing would cost more than the winter allowance itself/

Don't need to.

Proposal is to link it to Higher Rate Tax

[bazwillrun]

to save £100million !? that really is mere bagatelle in the scheme of things

In two days we throw more than that into the eussr bottomless pit !

Just about sums up the pathetic Ed NoBalls if this is all he can come up with

[yogasun]

Is your father wealthy then desktop?

[yogasun]

As another poster said, it all depends what they mean by wealthy.

[arwyn]

40% tax is paid on income over £34.371. It gets reduced every year. A few year ago it was about 38k.

[yogasun]

Then it won't be axed for him, it's only possibly stopping for wealthy people.

[Svejk]

///
desktop

no hes not never as nothing for nothing

12:49 Mon 0///

I think that means he is wealthy, yoga.

[yogasun]

Yes Svejk I thought the same!!

[Mamyalynne]

'Is he wealthy?'


'No hes [sic] not....'

to go further is unnecessary really.

[LoftyLottie]

What is classed as 'Wealthy'. People who I class as wealthy still get child credits and various allowances. If heating allowance is to stop then all these benefits for children should stop too. Why pick on the people who are less able to complain or less likely to complain.

[ladybirder]

A figure of £42k was mentioned this morning on a news programme.

[ladybirder]

Lottie >>Why pick on the people who are less able to complain or less likely to complain?

[LoftyLottie]

Fair enough, but then every benefits for every household where a joint income is over £42,000 should be stopped!

[ladybirder]

Hm, the end of my previous post disappeared.

Should have said to Lottie; Pensioners less likely to complain?? You are joking of course. LOL

[anneasquith]

makes sense. £200 to '' comfortable people'' hardly missed, the same amount to less comfortable people ( poorer) a godsend !