Rachel Reeves has announced that winter fuel payments will only be paid to those on Pension Credit.nsion Credit

Callistemon213

Ziplok

I really don’t like this “I’m alright Jack” attitude that some here seem to have because they are comfortably off and so don’t mind losing it.Many are not comfortably off, but fall just above any thresholds for receiving benefits of any kind, so will find themselves really struggling. Then there are the people who, for whatever reason (pride, embarrassment, fear, etc), won’t apply even when entitled to.
I think it is Martin Lewis who has suggested that a fairer way would be to look at which council tax band you fall into and those within the lower bands be eligible.
We are desperately in the red, that’s true, but oh, how much waste there is - that needs tackling, but it seems that softer targets are easier. How often do we read of big debts being written off, or fraud investigations coming to naught, whereas if Jo or Josephine Bloggs got into debt they’d be chased hard.
Money can amazingly be raised to send abroad, though.

I don't think Martin Lewis'z suggestion will work.

There are many older people, often widowed or alone for other reasons, who live in a property which might be in a higher Council tax band but their income is relatively low.

Downsize? Release some capital? A smaller property might be easier and cheaper to heat but there are very few such properties available and those that are may not be in the location where the person wants to live.

Well said Callistemon213 and the person may value her neighbours and not be able to bear the thought of moving.

I’ve just nipped in before I nip out again, so I haven’t read any of this thread really. But I do agree with iam64

We have a labour government probably in power for the next 5 years, we have not yet had a budget or spending review so I think it is very difficult to comment yet on Reeves economic plans.

What we have had this week is Reeves outlining what labour have inherited from the Tories, and how this will be managed in the immediate future.

I am content to wait and see what the spending review and budget brings.

I think that we can be fairly certain that there will be tax rises.

I shall now dash ,shower, get changed and nip out again😊

Nicenanny3

Well the Tories gave us the Triple Lock and a big rise this year and the extra money for heating put into our accounts as well as the Winter Fuel Allowance and Rachel Thieves (good name that) and LIEbour (another apt name) took it away.

Thank you.
Fair point.

Casdon

Who is trying to whitewash it Oreo? Nobody at all wants to see people go cold because they can’t pay to heat their home.

If we reach the stage where we are able to have a mature discussion about the potential ways forward to support people who are just outside the threshold that would be helpful I think, rather than mudslinging (I don’t mean you, I’m talking generally). It’s happening, whether Gransnetters like it or not, so what can we offer to help, there’s a lot of knowledge on this site about all sorts.

A few posters are saying it’s all good, just read all the posts.
Whitewave says we shouldn’t be getting ourselves excited by it. Others say they think it the right thing to do.
Nothing anyone can say on this forum can help fill the monetary gap for pensioners like my Mum, in her 80’s and I shall have to cough up the cash for her, when I’m a low earner anyway.If I don’t I know she won’t put the heating on.

Hattietopper, woodburning stoves are wonderful, not dirty to use and very comforting. I miss mine with all my heart.

MissAdventure

So, who would opt out of accepting the fuel allowance, given a chance?

We would at this present time.

Might be in a different situation in the future, who knows.

Ziplok

I really don’t like this “I’m alright Jack” attitude that some here seem to have because they are comfortably off and so don’t mind losing it.Many are not comfortably off, but fall just above any thresholds for receiving benefits of any kind, so will find themselves really struggling. Then there are the people who, for whatever reason (pride, embarrassment, fear, etc), won’t apply even when entitled to.
I think it is Martin Lewis who has suggested that a fairer way would be to look at which council tax band you fall into and those within the lower bands be eligible.
We are desperately in the red, that’s true, but oh, how much waste there is - that needs tackling, but it seems that softer targets are easier. How often do we read of big debts being written off, or fraud investigations coming to naught, whereas if Jo or Josephine Bloggs got into debt they’d be chased hard.
Money can amazingly be raised to send abroad, though.

I don't think Martin Lewis'z suggestion will work.

There are many older people, often widowed or alone for other reasons, who live in a property which might be in a higher Council tax band but their income is relatively low.

Downsize? Release some capital? A smaller property might be easier and cheaper to heat but there are very few such properties available and those that are may not be in the location where the person wants to live.

So, who would opt out of accepting the fuel allowance, given a chance?

Iam64

Labour doesn’t like pensioners - is this the best criticism the anti Labour posters can come up with

I listened to (the awful) Jeremy Vine at mid-day. The majority of callers fully supported the removal of WFA from people who don’t qualify for pension credit. It won’t be universally popular but if WFA is to be removed this seems the simplest way to do it. Of course, it will hit those on the margins but the idea of wealthy pensioners getting it was always inappropriate

I agree that wealthy pensioners do not need and should not get the WFA.

I am appalled that those who have scrimped and saved all their lives to have a bit for their old age will not get it due to being a couple of £’s a week over.

Labour doesn’t like pensioners - is this the best criticism the anti Labour posters can come up with

I listened to (the awful) Jeremy Vine at mid-day. The majority of callers fully supported the removal of WFA from people who don’t qualify for pension credit. It won’t be universally popular but if WFA is to be removed this seems the simplest way to do it. Of course, it will hit those on the margins but the idea of wealthy pensioners getting it was always inappropriate

Can't help thinking that a new labour government with all it's options to obtain funds to plug the gap chooses the pensioners winter fuel payment. Ok, some don't need it but the state pension in the UK is pretty poor and some people will go cold this winter. Just counter intuitive.

Well the Tories gave us the Triple Lock and a big rise this year and the extra money for heating put into our accounts as well as the Winter Fuel Allowance and Rachel Thieves (good name that) and LIEbour (another apt name) took it away.

Can't help thinking that it's off, a new

Who did the tories like, apart from themselves, I mean?

Ronib, labour really does not like pensioners, you are absolutely spot on.

Who is trying to whitewash it Oreo? Nobody at all wants to see people go cold because they can’t pay to heat their home.

If we reach the stage where we are able to have a mature discussion about the potential ways forward to support people who are just outside the threshold that would be helpful I think, rather than mudslinging (I don’t mean you, I’m talking generally). It’s happening, whether Gransnetters like it or not, so what can we offer to help, there’s a lot of knowledge on this site about all sorts.

Siope

David49

I wonder if she meant to misquote Keynes, who said (to paraphrase) If we can do it, we can afford it

That depends on the state of the economy, if the investment yields a cash return then yes do it, the UK has been investing far too much in projects/services that don’t yield any return even in the long term.
Because there has not been a return borrowing has had to increase to balance the books

David if you are going to quote anyone (in this case me on the first two lines of your post) it’s much clearer for those reading if you either use the quote function, or put quotes in italics, or even in quotation marks, and also say who you are quoting.

It's even better if it's put in italics or bold so that it stands out from the response.

I don't know why people have stopped doing that.

It was a bloody awful decision to remove the WFD and I wish that other Labour voters on here would just accept that instead of trying to whitewash it.
Mum said last night that she wishes she hadn’t voted for them and is worried about what else will go, and we are a longstanding Labour voter family.Am astounded they have done this, gone after the low hanging fruit the minute they got into power.This is a really bad move on their part.🤬

Siope

I usually do use quotation mark especially if I’m challenging an opinion, in this case I assumed the quote was correct, and not contentious

Some on this forum would say that all spending brings a return to revenue, this has not been happening for many years, so any reference to economic theory is misplaced

It will be much better if Rachel Reeves introduced an ‘opt out’ system. The well-off pensioners who do not need the winter fuel allowance, they can go online and complete an opt out form. Everybody else who need it will still get it.

The way she did it - a blanket approach will result in a higher number of poor pensioners admitted to hospital this coming winter because they develop pneumonia or malnutrition.

I am a long way from state pension age, my husband is the one who received the WFA.

I do not look forward to winter. Our winter energy bill is always high but if I turn down the heating over a long period to save money, my husband will become ill.

Casdon

It made me smile that you put ‘Even’ when saying Diane Abbott accused Rachel Reeves Urmstongran - we all know how left she is politically, if she’d agreed with anything the current government does, I would eat my hat!

Ah. Thanks Casdon I understand now. Thank you for clarifying!

MaizieD I was sceptical about RR before the election.

Now I find her terrifying.

She is determined to carry on with austerity, and will probably take it to greater extremes than the Conservatives.

David49

I wonder if she meant to misquote Keynes, who said (to paraphrase) If we can do it, we can afford it

That depends on the state of the economy, if the investment yields a cash return then yes do it, the UK has been investing far too much in projects/services that don’t yield any return even in the long term.
Because there has not been a return borrowing has had to increase to balance the books

David if you are going to quote anyone (in this case me on the first two lines of your post) it’s much clearer for those reading if you either use the quote function, or put quotes in italics, or even in quotation marks, and also say who you are quoting.

It made me smile that you put ‘Even’ when saying Diane Abbott accused Rachel Reeves Urmstongran - we all know how left she is politically, if she’d agreed with anything the current government does, I would eat my hat!

Yes, thank you MaisieD and either Reeves doesn’t understand this, or she is ignoring it in favour of Austerity. She was after all a banker.

I wish the Media would challenge the government on some of these points instead of accepting the popular “household budget” theme constantly rolled out.