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winter fuel allowance should be scrapped

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N47.

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Posted January 3, 2013 at 7:41PM

for the majority and just given to those who claim pension credit ie the poorest of pensioners.

If the working well paid can loose their child benefit if one of them earns over £60,000 why can't those pensioners who do not really need it, have it.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2256466/Paul-Burstow-Four-pensioners-lose-help-fuel-bills-raise-1-5billion-fund-elderly-care.html

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carver

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Posted January 5, 2013 at 11:11AM

fourm member "I really can't tell you how many pensioners holiday in Mauritius as I'm sure you know" so why use it as an example when as you keep saying you only use cold hard facts. " "Pensioners are, in general, substantially better off today and we need to stop portraying all pensioners as poor in order to focus attention on those in our society who are, genuinely, in difficulties."

Brilliant statement, so will you be giving up your fuel allowance and giving it to a charity.

But don't forget that there are many more poor pensioners than better off ones.

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spider9

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Posted January 5, 2013 at 12:14PM

carver

I did say "tax credit, or whatever"

It was just to say that it must be possible to devise a system whereby not every well-off pensioner automatically gets the fuel allowance (and bonus and bus pass).

Surely in these times of austerity there should be some better method of allocating our tax money than giving it back to many who do not really need it - but while Grey Goo, and his ilk, have the 'finger-up' attitude then I suupose it's not likely to happen!

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lotvic

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Posted January 5, 2013 at 1:01PM

Basic pension is a maximum of £107.45 a week for a single person who has worked and paid NI for 30 years.

The Government pays means-tested Pension Credit. This guarantees a minimum of £142.70 a week for a single pensioner and £217.90 for a couple

So an annual dual fuel bill of £1400 equals £26.92p per week, which is approx 18.5% of income for a single pensioner and 12% of income for a couple.

(and no, I haven't copied and pasted the above, but I did look up the figures for the Pension amounts and the average fuel bill)

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Forum Editor

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Posted January 5, 2013 at 1:13PM

I wonder how many pensioners refuse to accept the winter fuel payment.

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lotvic

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Posted January 5, 2013 at 1:58PM

fourm member, Errr, no, - my figure of 18.5% of income spent on Fuel bill for a single pensioner who has worked and paid NI and has a state pension plus means-tested Pension Credit or is only on Pension Credit is correct.

If you haven't paid or been credited with NI you don't qualify for a state pension. But you do qualify for Pension Credit of £142.70

So whether you've worked and paid NI or never worked you still get a basic total £142.70p

When you say "On average state pension makes up only 38% of total income (down from 53% in 1977)"

Do those figures include or separately list those who are not on a State Pension and are only on Pension Credit?

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Ex plorer

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Posted January 5, 2013 at 3:07PM

I am on PC and when the fuel allowance is paid into my bank its used to top up my oil tank and I am very grateful for it,I usually add a £140-£170 for 500 or 600 ltrs,its a boon to me.

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lotvic

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Posted January 5, 2013 at 3:50PM

fm, so really all you are saying is I'm correct (which I already knew)

Can you answer my question that I asked in my post of at 1:58PM with a clearer breakdown of figures/percentages.

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carver

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Posted January 5, 2013 at 4:46PM

What's that old saying enter link description here

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lotvic

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Posted January 5, 2013 at 4:55PM

fm, "But that is the minority" where did you find that information so that I may look at it? As you have already found it, it would be churlish of you to expect me to plough through endless .pdfs looking for it.

I'm only trying to work out your %'s that you quoted, because not everyone gets a state pension - those not claiming it with a private income and those on only Pension Credit.

By my reckoning the statistics you quote at 1:23PM mean that 62% of income is not state pension. Does that 62% include Pension Credit?

If so then for someone on full state pension + pension credit means that approx 75% of their income is state pension and 25% is not state pension.

Taken further it alters the overall wealth/income picture quite considerably.

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lotvic

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Posted January 5, 2013 at 5:02PM

It also means that for someone on 10% state pension + pension credit, 90% of their income is not state pension and would be included in the 62% of the statistics you quoted at 1:23PM

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