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.

[jno]

agree. I get it but I can manage without. If only it would go to libraries rather than Tridents and sweetheart deals for big companies to avoid tax.

[kayakamina]

What is their definition of wealthy?

[gness]

As jno..but I would still like to receive it and gift it as I choose.....If it stops we will still be fighting to keep open our libraries. x

[jno]

just so, gness, mine goes to charity but I'd sooner choose that myself than leave it up to Osborne.

[ummmm]

Kaya...I would assume their idea of wealthy is when someone doesn't need top up benefits.

[aelmpvw]

i don't imagine many people paying the higher income tax rate will be worried about losing this benefit

[mikey4444]

I'm glad you mentioned Trident jno! By a strange coincidence, there is a small piece in the Guardian today regarding nuclear weapons ::

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/03/nuclear-states-developing-new-weapons-report

If we cancelled the program to replace Trident, we could have all the Libraries we wanted, as well as restoring life to Remploy, and improving our State schools so that nobody would feel the need to lie about their address, in order to get their kids into one of those spanking new Academies that our present Government seems to be so proud of.

[ToraToraTora]

So they intend to introduce means testing do they? That's always popular with pensioners.

[ToraToraTora]

"If we cancelled the program to replace Trident, we could have all the Libraries we wanted," - yes and if we stopped giving free money to council estate baby factories we could have no end of cash to spend on things. Let's stop give 12bn to the EU a year, eh, what could we spend that on......

[1ndex]

Cut unemployment benefit, free health - americans manage without

[jake-the-peg]

By 'wealthy' they mean people who's pension payments put them in the Higher rate tax bracket

[jake-the-peg]

Index

Cut free health - americans manage without

No they don't - they have an infant mortality rate greater than Cuba!

They also pay more for their health care than anywhere else in the world.

If we did away with the NHS your health insurance would probably tripple in cost

Ever seen a BUPA A&E department for example?

[ToraToraTora]

health isn't free

[jake-the-peg]

Personally I'd also place winter fuel payments in the hands of local councils.

That would allow us to stop paying winter fuel payments to expats in the Med without breaking EU rules.

[Sqad]

£50,000 rich?..................

Yeah! why not....Labour are unlikely to be in as a working majority at the next election so it doesn't bother me.

I have paid 19/6 in the pound income tax.
Gordon Brown has skimmed the top off my Pension Plans.
Take way the Winter fuel Allowance.
How about the shirt off my back?

[boxtops]

The feature I heard talks about stopping winter fuel payments to those in the higher tax brackets. Sounds fair to me, then they could concentrate on giving it to people earning less than £37K p.a.

IMO child benefit should be subject to a similar ceiling - I could never understand how Princess Diana was eligible to claim child benefit.

[Mamyalynne]

Well Child Benefit now does have an element of means testing, but and it is a huge but - it is a botched job.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/shortcuts/2013/jan/07/child-beneft-what-are-the-new-rules

[Sqad]

mikey gives Jake..the best answer......surprise! surprise!

Jake's American sound bites are the same old...same old...which i have commented on many times.

[jake-the-peg]

Need a lot of winter fuel assistance in the Med do you Sqad?

Perhaps you should put the shirt back on your back!

[FredPuli43]

The reasons why means testing on this has not been introduced is that pensioners are a core vote for Labour and Conservative, so neither dare upset them, and it costs as much to administer as would be saved in payments