Winter fuel allowance

zygurat789

Why shouldn't all benefits inc oap be means tested. Not how they are done at the moment where every benefit has its own claim form and a different rate but based purely on income and allowable expenditure.
This could be done by HMRC who have the systems, staff and expertise and, hey presto, all those peolpe who assess you benefits and produce the rates would be unemployed and be able to claim themselves.

ThrowingStonesAtYou

carolt wrote: »

Not the same all. One has huge assets, which they could sell to pay for heating, one doesn't. I would have thought that was blatantly obvious.

But if you have the option of moving somewhere cheaper and having more spare cash to pay for the heating what is the problem?

I can't see how anyone can justify paying somebody who has chosen to live in a highly desirable and expensive property to subsidise their living costs, benefits should be for those who can't support themselves by any other means as much as possible.

bendix

ThrowingStonesAtYou wrote: »

But if you have the option of moving somewhere cheaper and having more spare cash to pay for the heating what is the problem?

I can't see how anyone can justify paying somebody who has chosen to live in a highly desirable and expensive property to subsidise their living costs, benefits should be for those who can't support themselves by any other means as much as possible.

I think you forget which country you live in. This is modern Britain, a country in which benefits are an automatic god-given right and where people who don't need them desperately claw for their 'entitlement'. A Britain in which vast swathes of people have absolutely no scruples about taking money they don't need because it's from the pollies, innit mate?

It sickens me.

StevieJ

bendix wrote: »

I think you forget which country you live in. This is modern Britain, a country in which benefits are an automatic god-givrich en right and where people who don't need them desperately claw for their 'entitlement'. A Britain in which vast swathes of people have absolutely no scruples about taking money they don't need because it's from the pollies, innit mate?

It sickens me.

Don't be ridiculous, there are an army of accountants attempting to minimise tax payments, the rich claiming what they are entitled to in benefits is part of the same equation, people who don't claim are not a full hit (in IMHO) or earn that much that it would just be an inconvenience, innit mate:rolleyes:
I should imagine that fuel payments could be means tested by just paying to those who need the minimum income guarantee, simple I would have thought

bendix

Using accountants to minimise tax payments is completely different. It is attempting to keep money that people rightfully earned for themselves, rather than having to give it to the government to give back to people who patently don't need it.

alared

zygurat789 wrote: »

Why shouldn't all benefits inc oap be means tested.

Why should they be?
If you`ve paid your taxes and NI all your life you`re entitled to it.
It`s the ones that haven`t paid in that shouldn`t get paid out.

bryanb

zygurat789 wrote: »

Why shouldn't all benefits inc oap be means tested.

Because oap is not really a benefit, it's based on contributions.

StevieJ

bryanb wrote: »

That's the Cold weather payment, different thing.
Not all get that, over 75s I think.
There are also 2 rates of Winter fuel payment, £250 under 80, I think £400 above 80 but I haven't reached that yet I'll let you know in 2022
I know I'm up late (Keeping an eye on the thermostat)

Or early

bryanb

StevieJ wrote: »

Or early

Nah, The wife does the early thermostat watch. Got to be sure our Winter fuel payment is properly used.

StevieJ

bendix wrote: »

Using accountants to minimise tax payments is completely different. It is attempting to keep money that people rightfully earned for themselves, rather than having to give it to the government to give back to people who patently don't need it.

No it isn't, it is legally minimising your payments to the state