The DWP's £10 Christmas "Bonus"

May13 I don't think Rachael Reeves has a good thought in her so long as she is alright. No talk of WASPI in Keir's latest 6 plans forward announced today.

Isn't it always, with every benefit?

As for expenses, it's not as if labour have awarded themselves, out of the blue, is it?

They've always been there, and have always been questioned.

homefarm

Sadly it would appear that most of the posters on here are fairly well off and don't appreciate the problems facing those a lot less well off and who are just above the pension credit limit and who therefore are entitled to nothing at all.

I might be wrong, but I can't remember through all these months, anyone who has said cuts in WFA should go ahead at the levels they are,

rather,

people saying that it can't remain a universal benefit but the cut off level to receive it is currently too low.

On the question of MP expenses and allowances, they are amongst the most generous and it should always be remembered they come from the public purse. A private employer who gives staff such benefits would be obliged to factor this into the costings for the service/goods supplied which might impact their profitability. Because they have enjoyed these generous benefits for years and years isn't in itself justification for their continuation. When we are told that certain payments must now be restricted for the good of the country I see no reason why MPs' allowances shouldn't come under scrutiny for reassessment downwards. They do not need to travel first class, they do not need fancy menus and alcohol subsidised by the taxpayer, taxpayers including nurses who are forced to use food banks. They should look to the Swedish model, their MPs don't enjoy anything like our MPs and somehow they manage. Isn't Sweden often held up as a shining example of great public services etc?

Sorry above message covers the wrong quote. It isn't about Politic Nerd's post.

It was replying to a post about NHS dental costs.

PoliticsNerd

argymargy

Winter fuel allowance has not been axed.

No, it hasn't. It is still being paid to those on Pension Credit.

To balance that those receiving Pension Credit - those rcognised as the poorest retirees - lost around £1,000 Cost of Living payment they had been getting annually for the last couple of years.

It's not difficult to apply for NHS dental charges. You need to apply for an HC2 which also covers opticians, wigs, hospital transport costs and prescriptions. The first time you apply you have to fill in an HC1 which you can download and print out. Subsequent renewals are much easier as they can be done online.

The problem isn't getting your NHS dental charges covered, it's finding an NHS dentist.

Galton

This magnanimous amount to the tune of 10 pounds is from the days of Maggie Thatcher. Ten quid in those days would buy you quite a lot but now you would struggle to buy a packet of soap powder. I still welcome it and will not say no. It would probably cost more to stop it for the majority of us nuisances called pensioners. The sooner we all die off and it is all left to the Generation Z lot the better. We have got one A card left to us and that is this, if and I mean if they all live to our age , they will all struggle and know how it feels. As for the entitled ones that think a new phone or hair extensions and false nails are the mainstay of life good luck to them.

such bile needlessly aimed at young people. I do despair of some on here

Sadly it would appear that most of the posters on here are fairly well off and don't appreciate the problems facing those a lot less well off and who are just above the pension credit limit and who therefore are entitled to nothing at all.

Just to put the cat amongst the pigeons - Nigel Farage has stated he will not be claiming his "energy" allowance - shame all the other MPs don't follow suit!!

sandev67

They can keep their £10 as far as I'm concerned.

well if you don't want it, do please pass it on to a charity which could make good use of it. Perhaps Help The Aged?

Jackiest

Don't worry as they as not raising the tax thresholds we will all soon be paying tax even we only get the standard basic government pension.

Courtesy of the previous Tory budget.

I remember my Granny using the £10 bonus to do her Christmas shopping!!! Why couldn’t they have axed this and only taken away the WFP for pensioners on higher rate tax, same as the farmers the just used the one size fits all model

petal53

I love hearing about all the pensioners who are happy to forfeit their WFA so that Rachel Reeves, and similar, can have their heating costs paid for.

Yes and so many posters will say it’s been going on for a long time, which is true, but not really a valid excuse, whichever government is in power.
Or, the last government was worse-which is said every time the government changes.
Or go into lengthy, convoluted reasoning to try and justify it.
If RR had said she was just going to withdraw WFA from all those people who gave it away every year, I wonder how many people would still say that.

I think they have made it so people don't need to worry about working full time. If you can get pension credit you get lots of other benefits which will work out more than the full state pension. And don't save too much either to make sure you qualify

This magnanimous amount to the tune of 10 pounds is from the days of Maggie Thatcher. Ten quid in those days would buy you quite a lot but now you would struggle to buy a packet of soap powder. I still welcome it and will not say no. It would probably cost more to stop it for the majority of us nuisances called pensioners. The sooner we all die off and it is all left to the Generation Z lot the better. We have got one A card left to us and that is this, if and I mean if they all live to our age , they will all struggle and know how it feels. As for the entitled ones that think a new phone or hair extensions and false nails are the mainstay of life good luck to them.

Casdon

I don’t think that the £10 bonus should continue in its present form. It would be much less administratively burdensome for DWP if it was just absorbed into the pension rather than being a one off annual payment. The simpler the system the better in my view.

Yes that makes good sense

Doodledog

‘The majority’ of pensioners are not on pension credit.

The WFP has been means-tested - something that, when it applies to other benefits (eg child benefit and universal credit) doesn’t raise an eyebrow as a rule. We’ve had threads saying that even birthday presents to benefit claimants should be declared as income and deductions to benefits made accordingly, not to mention the outrage when claimants have ‘the latest phone’ or a flat screen tv.

I am no fan of means-testing, but where is the consistency? We also get countless threads about how people should be grateful for everything they get, specially Christmas presents, so again, the consistency is missing.

I get neither WFP nor the Christmas bonus, as I am still waiting for my state pension, but wouldn’t be doffing my cap or curtsying in any case - you go ahead if you think it necessary though. How will the logistics work? Do you have to go to the HofC to doff and curtsey, or can you do it from home via Zoom or FaceTime?

Well said Doodledog

I cannot understand all the vitriol being targeted at the new government for axing the WFP. There have been enough moans on GN about the dire state of the health service, schools, transport etc. In order to improve things money has to come from some where. Which ever method of raising the necessary funds is used you are going to displease some group. The WFP was a very ill thought out benefit and all must agree that is the case. I think pensioners, because they are the most reliable group of voters, feel they have to be treated as a special case. Can we give the Government a chance to see if their strategy will work? The negativity in this country these days is so depressing and I think social media sites encourages it.

I had a wry smile yesterday. An acquaintance, not short of a bob or too, was ranting that she always used the WFP to buy her Christmas presents.

It's absolute nonsense to say that people are happy to give up WFA to pay for RR's heating.

We used to hear from lots of people on here who explained that they didn't need it and donated it to charity. This is virtuous of course, but it meant that the government was giving taxpayers' money to people who, by definition, didn't need it (the ones who were giving it away) and they were then deciding who was worthy of their donation. So basically the money was re-routed to causes the better-off thought deserving.

By cutting the money to the better-off, the government can decide where it is spent. Not on Ministers' heating, as this has always been covered, but on things like breakfast clubs for hungry children. Or even children who don't (objectively) 'need' it. As the government has an overview of what is needed by whom, isn't this a better system?

Regardless, nobody is giving anything to RR, and the means-testing of the WFA won't impact on her heating bills, any more than they impacted on billionaire Rishi Sunak's bills when he was Chancellor, or on anyone else before either or both of them.

Did you not know, Petal, that all MPs have always enjoyed this perk, whatever their affiliations? We, the taxpayers, have always funded this.
It's not just Rachel Reeves, and it's not the WFA re-routed.

petal53

I love hearing about all the pensioners who are happy to forfeit their WFA so that Rachel Reeves, and similar, can have their heating costs paid for.

I feel this sort of opinion has been voiced constantly all summer andante the winter. The discussion about MP's expenses is long term and on going.
They've been getting these expenses for years, and yes I think they should be cut back on

lets be clear, when the Tories were in, where were the extended and extensive and constant cries of outrage from Tory supporters

WFA changes are one of many to allow for the "whole pot" to pay for NHS, schools, care, disability benefits to even survive. Yes, the bar was set too low, but in principle we cannot afford to pay WFA to those who really don't need it.

I love hearing about all the pensioners who are happy to forfeit their WFA so that Rachel Reeves, and similar, can have their heating costs paid for.

petal53

argymargy

Winter fuel allowance has not been axed.

Not for everyone but for the majority of pensioners it most certainly has been axed. A comment which simply states it has has not been axed is disingenuous.

Pension Credit is an insurance benefit for those who, for whatever reason, do not have enough to live on.

Why, logically, would you have a universal WFA? If the pension is not enough then increase the threshold of Pension Credit by that amount to capture those for whom it is a necessity.

Well, so is one claiming it has.

argymargy

Winter fuel allowance has not been axed.

Not for everyone but for the majority of pensioners it most certainly has been axed. A comment which simply states it has has not been axed is disingenuous.