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

Aren't people jumping the gun?
Noyjing has happened yet, and some other benefits will mean no entitlement to the pay out.

GrannyGravy13

Within three weeks of coming to power, some of the poorest in our society will be poorer and colder this winter, thanks Labour 👏👏👏

Those who are just above the limit to receive this will be the ones suffering. They could miss out by pennies.

How many times have we read on GN that our pensions are amongst the lowest in Europe?

It's all very well giving these allowances such as £10 Christmas bonus, TV licences, bus passes, Winter Fuel Allowances to pensioners but, as has been proved, they are not incorporated into the State Pension so can be taken away at any time leaving those who may be just above a certain income level struggling.

There will be no reform, as scheduled for October 2025, on social care charges.

Labour really doesn’t like pensioners.

Harris27

And to think I voted for labour.

Bet you won't again.

It has always been the same with benefits.

People are just above the threshold, sometimes by a pound or two.

That's a shame. I live only on the full State Pension and pay rent out of it so there's not much surplus. I have depended on the winter fuel payment to help get me through the cold months and always been extremely grateful for it.

Sycamore123

I should be careful in speaking for everyone, many pensioners are just outside the Pension Credit limit who are far from ‘comfortably off’, I doubt they will be very happy!!

Well, pensioners are an easy target. Didn’t see any tax rises for the rich.
The advice of downsizing really doesn’t work if you are renting or cannot afford Estate Agent fees and all the costs involved in moving house!!!

This is not good news for me as an 87 years old widow I am just above the limit for pension credit and the heating allowance has been very welcome. I don’t know what I shall do in winter but will just have to see what happens. As has been said already…it hasn’t taken long has it ….

I don’t need this payment. However, I donate it to the local winter warmth fund but I doubt I’ll be making the equivalent payment out of my own pocket. Therefore the charity and its dependents will lose out. I’d like to think the government could help out these charities instead now. I doubt they will though. As has been remarked above, you can be poor but not poor enough to claim benefits.

Not all Pensioners are well off. I can foresee some really cold people . Many depend on the allowance, glad I didn't vote for them

HattieTopperobviously I don’t know your circumstances but seems to me that new build properties do have better insulation and cost less to heat. Downsizing may be an option if pennies are very tight?

And to think I voted for labour.

The guidelines said also those on "certain other means tested benefits" which probably means housing and council tax benefit.

Not AA because that is not means tested. We havnt yet heard exactly which benefits are involved. Not UC or ESA because they are working age benefits.

Many pensioners who just miss out on pension credit (because of a small private pension) are still entitled to a certain amount of local housing allowance (aka housing benefit) and/or council tax support. So lets wait for the details first.

ronib

Sorry to hear this HattieTopper. Miliband is very enthusiastic about spending billions on Great British Energy so all being well, energy prices should fall very quickly? Wind and solar power being all the rage …

What can we do. If my husband had not paid into a private pension, I could have claimed everything going. We were told in the 1950's to get a private pension, save for a rainy day so we did and now they are taking eerything away from us as they say we have too much money and don't need the winter fuel allowance or the free tv licence. The government need to look at the pensioners with hundreds of thousand of pounds stashed away and not the normal every day pensioner who will have a small private pension and state pension. Reeves has made it so easy for the government by stating anyone not on benefits will not get this, that and the other.

More chillingly is the prospect of State approved euthanasia….

Labour showing their true colours. Yet come over on a dinghy having paid not a penny in and get free accommodation lovely and warm as well I would guess in winter, free food, pocket money, extra money if you are pregnant, extra money for each child etc etc. Wonderbar.

I am scared of the coming winter now, really scared, I will have to limit heating and am so depressed about it

Great "British Energy " will not be a public company the government have explained it will be privately run ...any hopes of falling bills is a non starter...any profits will go to shareholders ...the same as the housebuilding will...it wont be social/council houses.Ever been conned? You have now!

They took away our free TV licence, now the winter fuel allowance and next April, I bet we will be paying tax on our state pensions. Why not shoot us and have done with it.

They are very welcome to take back the 25p donated weekly when I reached 80. That and the £10 Christmas bonus.

Here we go….. didn’t take long did it?

How can they justify sending 84 billion to other countries??

Are MP,s going to refuse pay rises...then until they do why should the people who DIDN,T cause the mess the UK is in ,have to pay for it.Lets start at the top .I have friends who just about makeit through the month now ,come winter and massive bills ...they will really struggle It gets COLD here in winter.Get the money back the tories gave to all their mates for faulty PPE and non working track and trace theres a fair few tens of billions already !!

Within three weeks of coming to power, some of the poorest in our society will be poorer and colder this winter, thanks Labour 👏👏👏

Sorry to hear this HattieTopper. Miliband is very enthusiastic about spending billions on Great British Energy so all being well, energy prices should fall very quickly? Wind and solar power being all the rage …

nanaK54

Sycamore123

I should be careful in speaking for everyone, many pensioners are just outside the Pension Credit limit who are far from ‘comfortably off’, I doubt they will be very happy!!

Agreed

That applies to me too, a widower in her mid 80's.

Don't they realise that people who are just outside the limit for claiming benefits are worse off than people claiming benefits as they have to pay for everything. In April, if the triple lock is still in use then w will be paying tax as well.