Motoring1 min ago
Winter Fuel Payments To Go Except For The Poorest.
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So - one of the last non-means-tested benefits goes ... yet again (in a mean spirited and pettifoggingly small way) people who have provided for themselves are being penalised.
This now leaves the basic Old Age Pension looking a bit exposed.
Who'd bet on that being means tested by (say) 2020 - after all, just because you've paid in for 40 years doesn't mean that you should feel any entitlement, does it?
This now leaves the basic Old Age Pension looking a bit exposed.
Who'd bet on that being means tested by (say) 2020 - after all, just because you've paid in for 40 years doesn't mean that you should feel any entitlement, does it?
'Means testing' always sounds fair doesn't it?
But for those just the wrong side of the £ sign it can make a huge difference.
Only a few of the well off took advantage of the chance to return their unwanted Winter Fuel Payments when it was made possible to do so.
Sure others may have donated to Charity.
But for those just the wrong side of the £ sign it can make a huge difference.
Only a few of the well off took advantage of the chance to return their unwanted Winter Fuel Payments when it was made possible to do so.
Sure others may have donated to Charity.
Good point, Georgiesmum. My dad is not poor but he would miss his winter payment, and lots of other middling income pensioners would also.
I thought it ridiculous that people like Cliff Richard, Cilla Black and a few well-off people of my acquaintance had £200 sent to them every winter. We should stop those payments, but be careful about who else might be hurt by the cuts.
I thought it ridiculous that people like Cliff Richard, Cilla Black and a few well-off people of my acquaintance had £200 sent to them every winter. We should stop those payments, but be careful about who else might be hurt by the cuts.
I suppose they're testing the water, checking reaction to the once unthinkable. Who'd have believed that even that bunch of forkers would remove payments from their own while doling it out to, as someone once said, Bongo-Bongo Land?
They must be very confident of their majority, what larks if this gave Corbyn the edge. Looks like we're in for a bumpy ride though.
They must be very confident of their majority, what larks if this gave Corbyn the edge. Looks like we're in for a bumpy ride though.
anneasquith, //The government should start by not paying the benefit to ex pats.//
Why? As sunny-dave says pensioners have ‘paid in’ for forty years so why automatically penalise people just because they choose to live elsewhere after retirement? Other countries are cold in winter too, and contrary to popular belief the only income for many who choose to live abroad is their State pension.
Rosetta, //How about making Child Benefit means tested as well to give some parity? //
People on high salaries (well, £50,000, if you call that high) are already penalised on child benefit payments. This from the Citizens Advice Bureau.
//Child Benefit still continues to be paid to everyone, but if you're a higher-income family, you'll have to pay extra tax if you choose to keep getting it. The extra tax you pay will effectively cancel out some or all of your Child Benefit. You'll have to pay more tax if either you or your partner have an income over £50,000 a year depending on how much income you've got, but you'll still continue to receive the same amount of Child Benefit. If your income is over £60,000 a year, you'll pay so much more in tax that it will cancel out all of the Child benefit you get.//
Why? As sunny-dave says pensioners have ‘paid in’ for forty years so why automatically penalise people just because they choose to live elsewhere after retirement? Other countries are cold in winter too, and contrary to popular belief the only income for many who choose to live abroad is their State pension.
Rosetta, //How about making Child Benefit means tested as well to give some parity? //
People on high salaries (well, £50,000, if you call that high) are already penalised on child benefit payments. This from the Citizens Advice Bureau.
//Child Benefit still continues to be paid to everyone, but if you're a higher-income family, you'll have to pay extra tax if you choose to keep getting it. The extra tax you pay will effectively cancel out some or all of your Child Benefit. You'll have to pay more tax if either you or your partner have an income over £50,000 a year depending on how much income you've got, but you'll still continue to receive the same amount of Child Benefit. If your income is over £60,000 a year, you'll pay so much more in tax that it will cancel out all of the Child benefit you get.//
Ex pats that don't move to warmer climes would still have winter fuel to buy. Those that do move to warmer climes should get air cond fuel payments in the summer, but since those aren't offered they at least can save winter payments until they're needed. But as implied above, it's easier to stop all the additional handouts and pay a level of pension that the government doesn't feel so guilty about that they add things to.
I don't have a problem with winter fuel payments being means tested, although whenever this has been mentioned in the past, we have been told that it will cost more to implement. Lets see how it goes.
But does anybody know for sure if the pension triple lock will survive the Election ? I have looked on line and can't be sure.
But does anybody know for sure if the pension triple lock will survive the Election ? I have looked on line and can't be sure.
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