For Newsnight: should we end universal benefits for better off pensioners?

I'm totally confused, bemused, and bewildered. What is this about? Ferrets. Watches being fast?
I don't understand. I must be getting seile

Nurse!!!! She's out of bed again!!!! I think deserving deserves a rest!

Now I am confused, deserving. You said:
"Irrespective of your position in life, be it, as you would have it lower, middle, or upper class, having paid your dues you are all without exception deserving of the benefits you have contributed to."
Earlier, you had said very emphatically that those of us who live abroad should not have the winter fuel allowance. I, like others on here have paid tax and national insurance in the UK for thirty plus years and some of us continue to pay tax at source on our occupational pensions in the UK, as well being taxed in our country of residence.

correction:
Almost as many foxes in the city, as the country.

I understand you perfectly nonu
To someone else, I'm not bitter,nor am I aware of your circumstances,nor am I desirous of you or anyone else, parading them. As 64 says, after admitting a little confusion (totally confused actually) we are all different.
Annobel, we have almost as many foxes in the city, why not ferrets?You make the incorrect association with the words valley, pit and whippet to imagine the Rhondda, we have a Mecca club with nary a sight of an asian.Look around to find many such examples.No inconsistencies there then.No preconceptions it's all in black and white.Read what has been said.
Here we are again I, the subject of some pejorative remarks, and the original subject ignored.Try and keep up, admitting to confusion, straying from the subject are pointers that may warrant investigation.I, only disagree with some of you ,no more. although you on the other hand, are doing the job of the tory twit, who wants to get rid of many of the hard won benefits that many depend on.
Universal is the clue.As Anagram mentioned the words middle class, I will use them also. Irrespective of your position in life, be it, as you would have it lower, middle, or upper class, having paid your dues you are all without exception deserving of the benefits you have contributed to.What you do with it after you get it is up to you. Don't on the other hand pontificate on your circumstances,and make the bullets that Nick Boles will be willing to fire.Some of the ones that have indicated that we are all different were the ones that couldn't wait to show their magnanimity by proffering their winter fuel allowance, their 'bus passes, without any thought to those that need the fuel allowance possibly to stay alive.He only needs to see a few ,to say, that MANY of our pensioners admit to not needing their allowances.
Leaving school at 14 doesn't mean that I was unaware that Canada could get a little chilly, if I remember correctly, Doesn't it get a little parky in Sweden, Norway and possibly Russia, didn't the Germans have a little problem there one winter?
Enough deviation from the subject, I have a rug to finish pegging, not for me, you understand, nowadays it is for the dog, but it pays to remember how to make do and mend we may need it soon.

Ferrets in the city and whippet racing club in the valley. Inconsistencies and so very many stereotypes! Pull the other one, Deserving.

Aaahh! Well, let me scotch that one straight away - we're all very different, deserving - some comfortable, some struggling, some working and looking forward to a smaller pension than those who retired at the optimum moment, some looking after children for no payment, some young, some older. In fact, you would have a job jemmying us into any of your preconceptions!

I think deserving was attempting to explain why she feels 'bitter'. For some reason she seems to think that we are all middle-class and comfortably-off.

deserving what the heck are you on about? you leave me totally confused!

"deserving " just re-read my post and it sounds a bit jumbled , but I guess you will know what I am on about

Deserving remember my grandma from up north donkeying her step . I now have a similar kind of step and love to do same , but this product I think is now unobtainable

Ex-pats in the EU and those in other countries are not all treated the same. I'm not certain but I don't think you get the winter fuel allowance in Australia, South Africa, Canada or New Zealand because there is no reciprocal arrangement on benefits, even if you were already entitled to it before leaving the UK. It seems unreasonable to take away an entitlement. By the way, deserving quite a lot of Canada and the south of New Zealand's South Island are much colder in the winter than anywhere in the UK.

Forty years ago, when we came back to this country after a year abroad, I was astonished and pleased to receive a substantial proportion of the Child Allowance we had not been getting while away. It was under £1 a week at the time and I didn't get the whole year's allowance but it helped to replace the baby equipment etc we'd had to abandon. I didn't understand how it worked then and still don't.

Was working at 14 didn't get a certificate, had no time to get one later,although attended the university of life and soldiered on.Was expert at zeboing the grate, swilling the yard,colemaning the shirt collars,donkeying the step and boiling the copper for my old mans bath when he came up from the pit, the kids, both had ferrets, although they took a lot of feeding ,in the city.The old man became a butty beating up in the back air road, this was worth half a dollar extra a week, which went a long way to contributing to the ovaltinees badges and code book, that the kids so desired.I was on the committee of the valley whippet racers club, but was rejected by the pigeon racing club, my clock was deemed "fast" although to this day I deny this.What were benefits? I couldn't find a better place to go nowhere seemed to improve pneumoconiosis and emphysema. Bitter, me, I'll have a half.
Once again I digress,what is all this to do with universal benefits?
,Forgot to mention, am still allowed some coal, a bit of a perk for the old man working underground for 40 years, wish he were here to enjoy it.

One for the mix.

At P.M.Q's this week Cameron stated there would be no change when asked in Parliament.

Yes I know what's coming from some. Unless he does another U Turn.

None the less he did squash the comment.

Oh thank you Ella46. I did wonder if you were referring to me and thought I would clarify.

Incidentally, I think I would prefer 'little old WOMEN all agreeing with each other'

petallus I wasn't being sarcastic about your grin but about the other poster putting a smile at the end of their post.

I didn't find it amusing, obviously having a grumpy moment!

Ella46 I don't think you should grin unless you mean it. My grin (just before your post) was entirely genuine. I thought it was amusing that we were referred to as little old ladies agreeing with each other.

I am not a Christian, but I have always liked the parable of the workers in the vineyard. The ones who came in the early morning agreed a fair payment for a day's work. Then some other workers came at noon and were offered the same pay. The early workers complained that this was not fair and the vineyard owner replied 'You were very happy with your agreement - why should you mind if I want to be generous to some other workers'.
I am very happy in my own life and I don't grudge anyone else any benefit they can legally get. Some people sound so bitter, you have to wonder what has gone wrong in their life to make them so unpleasant.

Yes they did. I remember my judges muttering about it. It comes under theit aegis. Not mine thank god!

I think the rules must have changed recently, as I have always understood that you had to have been receiving WFA before you left the UK and there was a lot of grumbling on my ex-pat forums from those who had reached retirement age after leaving.

We both agree!

If you've reached retirement age, live in EEC and have worked most of your life in uk.
I think you then qualify. It's all to do with EU rulings about export ability of benefits

Fuel Payments Helpline

Winter Fuel Payment abroad

If you live abroad, you may be able to receive Winter Fuel Payments if the following apply:
•you have reached women’s State Pension age
•you live in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland
•you have a genuine and sufficient link with the UK, for example, you have lived or worked in the UK for most of your working life

If you are in custody under sentence during the qualifying week (17 to 23 September 2012) then you will not be eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment.
Download 'Winter Fuel Payment claim form - EEA and Switzerland for past winters (WFP2)' (PDF, 365K)