Peers wanting to remove pensioners' benefits

I've no idea how much prescription charges are as I don't have meds but anyway, don't people over 60 get free scripts in England?
Pensioners get £200 WFA which I think is very generous after all, we don't get many dreadful winters.
As for renewing things, it depends if you need new or used and whether you have a thing about not having stuff on credit ie: from catalogues.
There are many shops vying for our business and there is no need to spend top dollar.
It depends whether the £12k+ is to keep one or two people.
Many grans look after and feed at least 1 GC at least once a week and do pick-ups before and after school for no money.
That is very laudable but not if you yourself are short of cash.
They also treat their GC which again is utterly selfless but not if you are keeping yourself short.
Let's agree that we all have our own ideas as to what is necessary in our lives and how we spend our money is really up to the individual.
I can't advocate any particular cuts because I can afford to pay, however, I have experimented with living on £150pw paying my usual bills and doing my normal shopping. I even managed to save a bit.

For someone on Pension Credit, you do or should get quite a bit of help towards your heating. You will get Winter Fuel Allowance at £200 if you live alone and £300 if you are over 80. You should also be automatically receiving a £140 discount from your supplier. Also, if the temperature drops below zero for seven consecutive days, you will receive a cold weather payment of £25 for each week this happens.

There are additional payments or benefits but you are at the mercy of knowing what it is that you should have - particularly if your income is just over the threshold for PC when you may be eligible but you would have to apply rather than receive it automatically. I have no idea how some of the very elderly or very ill manage. Every time I found something else to help my mother I used to worry about what those without a "me" would do. It's a complete and utter maze.

"Is it possible to run a house, pay all the bills, eat and replace worn out household items on £12,500 a year?"

It is certainly possible Nonnie, as that is roughly half as much again as a single person on Pension Credit would get. I think you are looking at the right issues when you mention such things as replacing worn out items.

With a capital buffer, an income of that size would be much more manageable. However, the people on Pension Credit would be not have had a large capital buffer and are probably not in a position to acquire much of one by saving.

What I would like please is for one of the people who suggests that it is possible for a single pensioner to live on £12,500 a year to explain how. I don't know how they do it, it doesn't seem much to me, especially if they have to pay an annual prescription charge, winter heating and bus fares etc. Please suggest a budget to live frugally on that amount.

Thanks for that GillT57
My 12 month tariff with isupply (gas) is 3.48p per unit and 11.65ppd standing charge.
Previous gas provider tariff was 3.40p per unit and 5.51ppd standing charge.

Electricity with BGB is 0.16371 pkwh and £4.58 per calendar month standing charge.
Obviously the amount of electricity I use dictates the bill I receive but we equal it out over the year and I either get a rebate or pay the difference.
The 5 year tariff has 3 more years to run from mid May.
I do haggle a lot and also use Topcashback whenever and wherever I spend money, if at all possible.
I also sign up to receive emails and special offers from companies I use in order to get 10-20% off some purchases. Free coffee and cake at JL and free delivery and returns with clothing companies plus loyalty vouchers and points make a difference to my spending.
Changing banks yearly also gives me about £150-£180pa cash and 5% interest in savings.

Oops! quite a I quote I give

Ok GillT57.
I certainly take on board your remarks re maintenance etc but in reality, how many people need a new roof in their lifetime or broken guttering?
Normally, people have buildings insurance which is very reasonable, about £150pa for a 3 bed property in an averagely decent area...unless you live in a mansion.
That cost is less if coupled with contents insurance. The two would work out about £180pa or cheaper if you haggle.
That equates to less than £3.50pw, far less than a decent bottle of wine or just a bit more than a cup of coffee on the High Street. Buildings insurance often covers broken sanitary-ware and kitchen units too.

Saga guarantee that, with their policies, you'll only pay the same price for 3 years but you can leave any time without penalty and get 15%off at the start, possibly more with Topcashback.
The quite a I give above are not from Saga but an independent body which covers the vast majority of brokers.
BTW...I have no service charges .

Hi gabriellaG no need to 'leave the floor', we are just having a discussion about pensioner's benefits and living costs, and fuel costs came into it. For info, according to the Money advice service, the average cost of gas and electricity for a one person occupied two bedroom flat are £33 and £34 respectively.

Nonnie
For me to make comments using averages would be misleading as not every area can have the same providers or the same tariffs. Those who pay more would simply castigate me for making the average too low and vice versa.
Let me say that I live in an expensive area and I expect that tariffs are lower in areas where there are good transport links, plenty of businesses and a thriving economy, at least, that's what the big six say.
I'll be sure not to mention saving money again nor my views on pensions nor Brexit nor my shopping habits. Happy now? Good. The floor is yours.

Gabrielle all my friends check for the best deals every time their contract is coming to an end and some even come to me for advice on the best place to put their savings but none of them are really poor pensioners. One doesn't earn enough to pay tax but her DH does so she really isn't poor.

However, going back to my question how would someone living on £12,500 a year manage? I would be very interested to see what your breakdown of expenses would be based upon averages rather than personal.

gabriellaG, I did not mean you were forever talking about your energy costs, but whenever there is a thread about making ends meet or living on a pension you do come across as condemning others who spend more than you do on heat and power. I still maintain that your set up, lucky you, is very reasonable priced, but the truth is that most people spend far more than this and it is unfair to blame them for this. We are not talking about Sky or broadband here, but I agree that savings can be made by shopping around. But, nobody, unless they choose to keep their heating set far too low can heat their home for what you pay and I suggest you ask a few friends what they pay, my standing charge is nearly as much per month as you pay, and yes, I have shopped around, and yes, I have a very good unit price. By fair I mean it is unreasonable to suggest that your energy package is available to everyone, it isn't. Also, as you are renting, you do not factor in maintenance costs, worry about a new roof, broken gutters, etc, events which can be catastrophic for those 'just managing'.

Nonnie
I know the thread is about pensioners and I know that you were commenting in general terms and not about yourself.
I'm 74.5 so I qualify, as a pensioner, to post a comment regardless of income.
I'm sorry if I missed the part in the OP which said that only comments from poorer or struggling pensioners were welcome.
Another poster mentioned that the take up of pension credit was very low so I think that any comments about saving money by any means is a good thing. Not everyone negotiates the best deals as we often read or hear about on the news and it's often older people who get put on standard rates which cost far more.
Martin Lewis, as you surely know, is always encouraging and reminding us to look out for good deals in all financial areas.

It all seems to make sense what you say GracesGranMK3. It's a shame that the government don't seem to have the logic and common sense that you have. They are only interested in themselves and making sure that they have all that they want. They are not concerned about the rest of us.

GillT57
I may have mentioned it twice, certainly not more than that, which is far far fewer repetitions of a statement than the vast majority of GNers post across all threads/subjects.
Yes, I have stated that living on the state pension IMV is doable but not if you add in Netflix or Sky packages, use a car regularly, have an expensive mobile contract, fibre broadband and don't negotiate lower energy bills. Why is it ok for people to say they find it hard to manage or are struggling yet not ok for me to mention on two different threads that it's possible to manage on a state pension?
What do you mean by saying it's not fair
Fair to whom and why?

Gabriella you have told us many times about how cheap your fuel costs are, and I do not disbelieve you, but please be reminded that your situation of being billed at business rate by your landlord is most unusual. My house is extremely efficient, well insulated ( at great cost) but we spend around £100-130 per month which is fairly standard. Your repeated claims that everyone could live on a state pension if only they were less extravagant with their heating is rather unfair.

Gabrielle Yes, average, as often stated during any news on fuel prices. You are not average in your fuel use but may have things like service charges which others don't have. In this discussion I have been talking about pensioners, not me. My concern is for others as we are clearly better off than many,

phantom12 I have just written something on those lines on "The embarrassment of the Tories" thread, which, I'm afraid I have helped to take a little off topic. Let me know what you make of my thinking.

The divide between rich and poor has got too big. These uncaring people decide the fate of the rest of us. We all deserve the right to some sort of comfort in old age and not to have to watch every penny.

When you cite 'young people', about whom are you talking? What age group(s)?

Nonnie
Average fuel bills £1300?
Good grief.
Mine are between £350-400 G+E.
2 bed flat over two floors.
GCH + hob + combi boiler.
Normal electrics and elec oven plus usual kitchen aids but on business tariff locked in for 5 years.
If people are paying that amount then they must have heating on all day and live in a barn
How about downsizing to cut bills (and cleaning and housework etc)

Oops! GracesGranMK3

I actually wholeheartedly agree Gracesgranmark3
We need a streamlined system, easy to implement, easy to understand and fair across the board.
There will always be some who disagree but it would be good to put our heads together and think of 2 or 3 fully explained options which could suit the vast majority of pensioners and send it via GNHQ to the HoL.
What do you think?

Sorry ‘your’

I so agree, particularly with you final paragraph

Yes nonnie, I did! As things stand, we dont need it but other people could benefit from my, and DH's, share.

Not all pensioners are living comfortably so why give people who are doing so extra when it could be better used else where.