Winter fuel payment

[steve2006]

50 minutes ago, Malc1 said:

518,050.  Signatures now. 👏👏👏

Malc 

It’s growing Malc but just shows out of 11 million affected pensioners just over 0.5 million have signed. The government are well aware that pensioners in general don’t have access to or the ability to use modern technology and are unlikely to be marching through London in protest so are generally suppressed when it comes to voicing their opinions.

This also applies to Pension Credit applications where answering over 200 questions with no guarantee of success is enough to put off most pensioners applying.

We need to be careful here Malc, we could be labelled as Right Wing Pensioners! 😀

[Malc1]

55 minutes ago, steve2006 said:

It’s growing Malc but just shows out of 11 million affected pensioners just over 0.5 million have signed. The government are well aware that pensioners in general don’t have access to or the ability to use modern technology and are unlikely to be marching through London in protest so are generally suppressed when it comes to voicing their opinions.

This also applies to Pension Credit applications where answering over 200 questions with no guarantee of success is enough to put off most pensioners applying.

We need to be careful here Malc, we could be labelled as Right Wing Pensioners! 😀

I’m Apolitical and just fear the Govt treated OAPs as a “ soft touch “ with zero ability to take any action 

AGE. UK. however took up the baton thankfully and incredibly since last writing the Petition has increased to 

 

518,756     Signatures 

 

anyone can sign not just OAPs 

Malc 

 

[Malc1]

3 hours ago, Malc1 said:

I’m Apolitical and just fear the Govt treated OAPs as a “ soft touch “ with zero ability to take any action 

AGE. UK. however took up the baton thankfully and incredibly since last writing the Petition has increased to 

 

518,756     Signatures 

 

anyone can sign not just OAPs 

Malc 

 

520,059.   Signatures now 👍

 

Malc 

[Malc1]

2 hours ago, Malc1 said:

520,059.   Signatures now 👍

 

Malc 

521,017.  Signatures just now 👍👍

Malc 

[Mossypossy]

Wait until your state pension is means tested.

A quantum leap in moaning.

[LenT]

2 hours ago, Mossypossy said:

Wait until your state pension is means tested.

I expect that will involve yet another 243-question application form!

And how many Applicants will lose the will to live before its completion?

[Phil xxkr]

2 hours ago, Mossypossy said:

Wait until your state pension is means tested.

A quantum leap in moaning.

Moaning? 🤔

[Malc1]

3 hours ago, Malc1 said:

521,017.  Signatures just now 👍👍

Malc 

522,047.  Signatures now 👏👏👏

Malc 

[Malc1]

8 hours ago, Malc1 said:

522,047.  Signatures now 👏👏👏

Malc 

AGE. UK.  Petition 

WINTER FUEL PAYMENT 

522,510.  Signatures now 👏👏👍

Malc 

[Boomer54]

13 hours ago, Mossypossy said:

Wait until your state pension is means tested.

A quantum leap in moaning.

We are 70 plus. Follow the logic. A change to means testing will almost certainly not be retrospective. What you have got is what you have got. However,  for those who are about to receive (sayeth the lord), be aware that  you might  be at risk. How old did you say you were? 😉

I am not really concerned unduly by a move like this, and not just because I am 'safe'. I do think for the foreseeable future this manouvre is beyond even Starmer. He would be at war with everybody over the age of 40 as  a minimum. I suspect it would even put the infamous poll tax in the shade. In effect it sank Maggie so Starmer wouldn't even get to see out his term and indeed his party would be out.

[Mossypossy]

Would be certain election death. Unlike this topic which although genuinely worrisome for some, will not topple any government.

We are 61 btw.

[GMB]

30 minutes ago, Boomer54 said:

Starmer wouldn't even get to see out his term and indeed his party would be out.

I am sorry to say that Starmer will see out his term. Why? Because with the vast Labour majority and whipping tactics he will see off the dissenters. All he has to do is carry on being an RSole and ripoff the old and vulnerable and keep his nerve and ignore the protests. The fact that no-one likes him and is even prepared to tolerate/do nothing about his deceitful actions is very sad indeed.  Moan over and out.

[Phil xxkr]

20 hours ago, steve2006 said:

It’s growing Malc but just shows out of 11 million affected pensioners just over 0.5 million have signed. The government are well aware that pensioners in general don’t have access to or the ability to use modern technology and are unlikely to be marching through London in protest so are generally suppressed when it comes to voicing their opinions.

This also applies to Pension Credit applications where answering over 200 questions with no guarantee of success is enough to put off most pensioners applying.

We need to be careful here Malc, we could be labelled as Right Wing Pensioners! 😀

You are right Steve but how many of the 11 million are actually aware of it. I seem to recall for years Government has stated "you are ENTITLED" to this that and another. But we also know some people know how to game the system and obtain extraordinary payments. I don't think however that should be the line of enquiry. For me the question is "what have been your life circumstances that resulted in you qualifying for PC? We are now in this egregious situation of people getting WFA and a host of other benefits having finagled their way through the system and being paid for by people who haven't. Oh the irony! Furthering the demise of the OAP golden goose in support of parasitic bloodsuckers eventually leading to their own inevitable conclusion. 

[Boomer54]

3 minutes ago, GMB said:

I am sorry to say that Starmer will see out his term. Why? Because with the vast Labour majority and whipping tactics he will see off the dissenters. All he has to do is carry on being an RSole and ripoff the old and vulnerable and keep his nerve and ignore the protests. The fact that no-one likes him and is even prepared to tolerate/do nothing about his deceitful actions is very sad indeed.  Moan over and out.

I disagree on this issue. For example, would you have thought the very popular Maggie Thatcher would have to resign? She picked the wrong fight. This issue is also the wrong fight.

[Malc1]

Means Testing State Pensions is too complex, irrelevant and unlikely I feel as the OAPs Start Pension Drawing Date will just be extended to fit in with what's in the Chancellor's available budget to pay 

There's plenty of Means Testing already with PIPs and all those other Benefits that some deserving receive ................. and presumably there's many non-deserving recipients too 

Starmer and Reeves are simply blind to, or just ignoring,  the subtleties of this quagmire they've coagulated into and I'm not at all sure that they will zap themselves from this anytime soon 

 

522,770  Signatures now 

AGE  UK  Petition

WINTER FUEL PAYMENT

 

Malc

 

[Phil xxkr]

9 minutes ago, Mossypossy said:

Would be certain election death. Unlike this topic which although genuinely worrisome for some, will not topple any government.

We are 61 btw.

Not the point Steve. What you are witnessing here on the LOC is a microcosm of a wider malaise felt across the whole country. It seems everyday some new revelation tests the publics patience. Today for example, Starmer last year paid 25% tax on 400k of income in addition he took since 2019 more freebies than any other MP, 76k. Pat Mcfadden, cabinet minister claiming 40k to rent his next door home - it goes on and on. 🙁

[Phil xxkr]

19 minutes ago, Malc1 said:

Means Testing State Pensions is too complex, irrelevant and unlikely I feel as the OAPs Start Pension Drawing Date will just be extended to fit in with what's in the Chancellor's available budget to pay 

There's plenty of Means Testing already with PIPs and all those other Benefits that some deserving receive ................. and presumably there's many non-deserving recipients too 

Starmer and Reeves are simply blind to, or just ignoring,  the subtleties of this quagmire they've coagulated into and I'm not at all sure that they will zap themselves from this anytime soon 

 

522,770  Signatures now 

AGE  UK  Petition

WINTER FUEL PAYMENT

 

Malc

 

Not complex at Malc, just follow the same model as child benefits that reduce with earnings via your HMRC code. 

[GMB]

47 minutes ago, Phil xxkr said:

Oh the irony!

The irony and the unfairness. I know of certain folk who have fiddled the system for years and are very comfortably off Thank you. There is the foreign fellow who had over 100 different identities fraudulently making hundreds of thousands from the taxpayer.   The irony, as I see it, is that there is no reward for being honest and paying your way. There are honest ways to legally avoid taxation but most of them involve voting with your feet and going to live somewhere more friendly and reasonable with the common people.  Most of those countries are now pulling out of accepting foreigners now though - Xenophobia - protectionism - envy? Who knows?  At the moment the rule seems to be "Batten down the hatches".

From a pensioner in the country with the worst state pension in Europe.

[Boomer54]

Behavioural Psychology may be the best tool  kit we have for understanding why people do what they do. I mention this because if a means tested pension were to ever make it off the table what do you think happens to the way people view NIC's? The fact is NIC's are already a 'means test', because the more you earn the higher NIC's you will have paid in your life, but that still only entitles you to the same state pension. 

I almost wish they really would try to launch means testing on state pensions. They would be so absorbed trying to stop the following implosion they would probably not try to make any other major policy changes. Win win, they would lose on the issue and be prevented from doing anythingelse of note. Come on guys let's dangle the bait and invite it. Majority what majority when half the labour MP's are fighting the other half in order to placate their constituents. Gosh almost sounds like the Tory party.

[Phil xxkr]

9 minutes ago, GMB said:

The irony and the unfairness. I know of certain folk who have fiddled the system for years and are very comfortably off Thank you. There is the foreign fellow who had over 100 different identities fraudulently making hundreds of thousands from the taxpayer.   The irony, as I see it, is that there is no reward for being honest and paying your way. There are honest ways to legally avoid taxation but most of them involve voting with your feet and going to live somewhere more friendly and reasonable with the common people.  Most of those countries are now pulling out of accepting foreigners now though - Xenophobia - protectionism - envy? Who knows?  At the moment the rule seems to be "Batten down the hatches".

From a pensioner in the country with the worst state pension in Europe.

Couldn’t agree more Gray. Essentially our version of democracy is now pandering to the minority on the falsehood of "fairness" at the expense of the majority, talk about an upside down world. As to honesty listen to Groucho Marx " The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing, if you can fake that you got it made" 😅

[Malc1]

2 hours ago, Phil xxkr said:

Not complex at Malc, just follow the same model as child benefits that reduce with earnings via your HMRC code. 

Blimey, Child Benefits ……. don’t remember much about those …… my eldest ‘ child ‘ is 50 next month and the others not far behind 🤣😂

HMRC has made it simple they tell me to keep all my tax / income affairs on track and urging one to complete it all as early as possible …….. I shall obey of course …… like all good simple tax obedient souls in the UK 

My OAP State Pension covers my E5  V8 4ltr ( and more ) fuel costs ……. should it cover more. ? 😇

Seriously tho’. I’m quite distraught with people cheating with their HMRC stuff 

It’s unfair and a drain on Society …… and Expenses for MPs and Prime Ministers do need to be fairly met, of course, from the Public Purse AND if other benefactors can give our PM free “ working “ clothes and tickets to football matches, well, so be it 

Snout in the trough however comes to mind …….

our PMs Socially Aware Socialist colleagues will see the subtlety of it all and there will doubtless be a “ day of reckoning “ by said colleagues and society at large 

 

In the interim however 

AGE. UK.  Petition now at 

523,347.    Signatures 

WINTER FUEL PAYMENT 

 

Malc 

[GMB]

4 minutes ago, Malc1 said:

Blimey, Child Benefits

I remember child benefits. It only just covered the cost of decent shoes for 3 kids. It was a joke. I think most people spent it on beer and fags anyway.

[LenT]

18 minutes ago, Malc1 said:

HMRC has made it simple they tell me to keep all my tax / income affairs on track and urging one to complete it all as early as possible …

I’ve found HMRC very helpful, Malcolm.

Occasionally they call me to remind me about some bill I’ve forgotten to pay.  I have to say that - for Civil Servants - they are very happy to spend a lot of time with me taking me through the payment process.

Most obliging!  😉

[Phil xxkr]

24 minutes ago, GMB said:

I remember child benefits. It only just covered the cost of decent shoes for 3 kids. It was a joke. I think most people spent it on beer and fags anyway.

Hic! 🍷What's wrong with that hic! Make mine a double! 

[Malc1]

4 hours ago, Malc1 said:

In the interim however 

AGE. UK.  Petition now at 

523,347.    Signatures 

WINTER FUEL PAYMENT 

now at

524,078     Signatures 

 

Malc