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

growstuff

I think you should do some maths HattieTopper and try to understand why the UK government gives foreign aid. We'd be in a worse place than we are now on the world stage, if we didn't give foreign aid.

Im sorry growstuff,but can you explain this to me please.

The uk is feeling like a tinderbox right now

£6bn being sent abroad for net zero on top of foreign aid and the £80+ million going to countries to line the pockets of despots

£10bn in uk for wind farms and solar

£20bn black hole which of course lying labour and Reeves knew about, it was predicted by economists in november 2022

HattieTopper

Many of us on the forums had husbands who were ill for a few years so had to take early retirement and therefore did not receive their state pension at all as they died before they got to 65. Thanks to my wonderful husband he had a private pension whic h he claimed early of which I get a pro rata allowance each month. I also have a state pension in my own right but that means I pay tax on my income and am just above the threshold for claiming benefits.

We also had lots of savings when he took early retirement but we spent a lot of them on energy bills to keep him warm 24 hours a day, we bought all our own medical equipment, wheelchairs, stair lifts, nebulisers as they were on loan from the hospital but they asked for them back stating we were not on benefits so had to buy our own. We could not even have a ramp installed to get the wheelchair out as we were not on benefits, we could not afford the £6000 it would cost to dig up the front of the house and install a ramp as we had a steep drive. I had to carry the wheelchair outside and then help my husband with the oxygen tanks and get him in the wheelchair. We bought a mobility scooter and kept it in the garage to save me lifting the wheelchair. I applied for carers allowance and was told I could not claim it as I had a full state pension in my own right which is classed as a benefit. I tried to claim Attendance Allowance 6 times and was refused, as they said he was not ill enough, by the time I did get it, my husband died three months later. We did get it backdateed by the way. We used so much of our savings during the years my husband was ill, special foods etc . pillows, backrests, even urinals, luckily we got the oxygen tanks free but we had to buy our own nebulising machine for the medication to go into it so he could use the mask.

I must have saved the government hundreds of thousands of pounds caring for my husband myself for those years he was ill with no help from anyone.

I hope that this cruel government rot in hell

I am so sorry to hear this. As I have said, I think that means testing things like help with adaptations for disability is very wrong, but surely these things happened to your husband under the Conservatives, not Labour?

Is it the Conservatives you are calling 'this cruel government'? If so, I fully agree, as they also cut benefits, made it more difficult for people to claim PIP, refused to give nurses a pay rise, ran down the NHS and education, and much more. The new government hasn't had time to get started on reforming the mess they've been left with, so let's give them a chance?

growstuff

I think you should do some maths HattieTopper and try to understand why the UK government gives foreign aid. We'd be in a worse place than we are now on the world stage, if we didn't give foreign aid.

We can give foreign aid when we get our own country out of this flaming mess and not before. Many countries receiving foreign aid are run by tyrants and the money never gets to where it should. Charity should begin at home.

They were told there was a 20 Billion deficit so the only bit she didn't know about was 2 Billion. That could have easily been covered by MPs not getting a wage rise and cutting what they could claim in expenses.

I think you should do some maths HattieTopper and try to understand why the UK government gives foreign aid. We'd be in a worse place than we are now on the world stage, if we didn't give foreign aid.

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HattieTopper

Many of us on the forums had husbands who were ill for a few years so had to take early retirement and therefore did not receive their state pension at all as they died before they got to 65. Thanks to my wonderful husband he had a private pension whic h he claimed early of which I get a pro rata allowance each month. I also have a state pension in my own right but that means I pay tax on my income and am just above the threshold for claiming benefits.

We also had lots of savings when he took early retirement but we spent a lot of them on energy bills to keep him warm 24 hours a day, we bought all our own medical equipment, wheelchairs, stair lifts, nebulisers as they were on loan from the hospital but they asked for them back stating we were not on benefits so had to buy our own. We could not even have a ramp installed to get the wheelchair out as we were not on benefits, we could not afford the £6000 it would cost to dig up the front of the house and install a ramp as we had a steep drive. I had to carry the wheelchair outside and then help my husband with the oxygen tanks and get him in the wheelchair. We bought a mobility scooter and kept it in the garage to save me lifting the wheelchair. I applied for carers allowance and was told I could not claim it as I had a full state pension in my own right which is classed as a benefit. I tried to claim Attendance Allowance 6 times and was refused, as they said he was not ill enough, by the time I did get it, my husband died three months later. We did get it backdateed by the way. We used so much of our savings during the years my husband was ill, special foods etc . pillows, backrests, even urinals, luckily we got the oxygen tanks free but we had to buy our own nebulising machine for the medication to go into it so he could use the mask.

I must have saved the government hundreds of thousands of pounds caring for my husband myself for those years he was ill with no help from anyone.

I hope that this cruel government rot in hell

So sorry you have had to go through all that upset HattieTopper and then to lose your husband. 💐 Hope things get better for you, don't lose hope.

Badbatch

I think its sad that some posters on here think its ok to say they dont need the money and think its a good idea and they gave thiers to charity blah blah blah well good luck to you. I feel for the people who havnt got enough and rely on this benefit. I hope it gets changed and RR gets the boot but she wont. How many posters on here I wonder who are financially well off voted labour.

Don’t know about on here but my old schoolfriend and husband are ardent Labour supporters. Even their front door is red! 🤣. They have a big house, 2 cars, several foreign holidays every year and go on all the Labour marches etc. They were both social workers and wangled very early retirement supposedly down to stress. they also holiday regularly at a relatives massive house on Millionaires Row In a wealthy seaside resort.

They spent hours posting stuff on FB every day about how rotten the Conservatives were and how we should all vote Labour. Really nasty stuff too. Since Labour got in and have cut WFP and Cost of Living payment they have gone very quiet. However, her name popped up on a pension site and she is claiming to be not very well off (absolute lie) and says she would rather it be given to someone worse off than her.
All a load ofBS. They are real champagne socialists. 😉

Badbatch

Oh HattieTopperim so sorry puts a lot of things into perspective.

Thank you so much, it has been very hard.

SO CASDON

You should know your facts before posting.

CASDON This is the link.......

Labour will maintain Conservative plans for income tax thresholds to remain frozen if it wins the election, the shadow business secretary has said.

Jonathan Reynolds told the BBC he needed to be “candid” that Labour would continue with the plans. saying they amounted to a "tax rise".

The freeze on the personal allowance - the amount of money you can earn before any tax starts to be paid - is already set to continue until 2028.

jenpax

I agree with this policy, many older people can easily afford their heating without Government help. I am not yet of an age to benefit from the payment but would feel the same if I were. The Government are keeping the 3 lock guarantee on pensions so older people are not being abandoned. The focus now must be on the huge number of children living in poverty and on the housing crisis!

It’s not the many older people who can easily afford their heating that is the issue.
People born after April 6th 1953 already receive just over £50pw more than those born before that date.
If you’re in the fortunate position that you know you won’t need it, good for you Jack. You won’t be worrying about those who do need it.
Focusing on the housing crisis -I’ve got it on my spreadsheet to see what they actually do and when, and how they target the people including my DGC, to ensure they can find somewhere to live.
Children in poverty is a much more complex target. It involves providing reasonably paid employment.
That way parents can earn money to keep themselves and their children instead of living off handouts. It involves housing, so they have somewhere to live, but remembering also the needs of those hardworking people who equally cannot afford anywhere to live.
If the only way the Labour government can do that is by targeting pensioners . . .

Oh HattieTopperim so sorry puts a lot of things into perspective.

Casdon

You’ve mixed up your party policies HattieTopper. Labour haven’t announced they aren’t going to raise the personal allowance?

I am going by the recent discussions regarding the personal tax allowance and they are stating that at the moment there is nothing they will do about it until 2028.

I will try and find the link for you.

Many of us on the forums had husbands who were ill for a few years so had to take early retirement and therefore did not receive their state pension at all as they died before they got to 65. Thanks to my wonderful husband he had a private pension whic h he claimed early of which I get a pro rata allowance each month. I also have a state pension in my own right but that means I pay tax on my income and am just above the threshold for claiming benefits.

We also had lots of savings when he took early retirement but we spent a lot of them on energy bills to keep him warm 24 hours a day, we bought all our own medical equipment, wheelchairs, stair lifts, nebulisers as they were on loan from the hospital but they asked for them back stating we were not on benefits so had to buy our own. We could not even have a ramp installed to get the wheelchair out as we were not on benefits, we could not afford the £6000 it would cost to dig up the front of the house and install a ramp as we had a steep drive. I had to carry the wheelchair outside and then help my husband with the oxygen tanks and get him in the wheelchair. We bought a mobility scooter and kept it in the garage to save me lifting the wheelchair. I applied for carers allowance and was told I could not claim it as I had a full state pension in my own right which is classed as a benefit. I tried to claim Attendance Allowance 6 times and was refused, as they said he was not ill enough, by the time I did get it, my husband died three months later. We did get it backdateed by the way. We used so much of our savings during the years my husband was ill, special foods etc . pillows, backrests, even urinals, luckily we got the oxygen tanks free but we had to buy our own nebulising machine for the medication to go into it so he could use the mask.

I must have saved the government hundreds of thousands of pounds caring for my husband myself for those years he was ill with no help from anyone.

I hope that this cruel government rot in hell

I think its sad that some posters on here think its ok to say they dont need the money and think its a good idea and they gave thiers to charity blah blah blah well good luck to you. I feel for the people who havnt got enough and rely on this benefit. I hope it gets changed and RR gets the boot but she wont. How many posters on here I wonder who are financially well off voted labour.

Yes, I agree with that (as well).

Callistemon213

The fact remains that, whatever pensioner income, this is a drop in income for all pensioners.

No ranting. Just a fact.

Agreed. I don’t think anybody is denying that though, not that I’ve seen?
However, for many of us the impact of the personal tax allowance being frozen is greater in financial terms than the loss of the fuel allowance. Personally I’d rather see that increased, because it will benefit millions of working people too.

You’ve mixed up your party policies HattieTopper. Labour haven’t announced they aren’t going to raise the personal allowance?

The Tories froze the tax allowance.

The fact remains that, whatever pensioner income, this is a drop in income for all pensioners.

No ranting. Just a fact.

jenpax

I agree with this policy, many older people can easily afford their heating without Government help. I am not yet of an age to benefit from the payment but would feel the same if I were. The Government are keeping the 3 lock guarantee on pensions so older people are not being abandoned. The focus now must be on the huge number of children living in poverty and on the housing crisis!

Don't you realise that next year when the triple lock kicks in, we will be worse off, well I and people getting a small private pension as well as g their state pension will be because we will be paying more tax than we do now. Until they stop blocking the personal tax threshold we will be worse off year after year until 2028 when hopefully they will raise the personal tax threshold to a decent amount then perhaps we would not need the WFA.

GrannyGravy13

🤣

Snort!!