Wealthy pensioners asked to donate winter fuel payments

wotsthat

Graham_Devon wrote: »

I don't think they are doing that. They are just asking wealthy pensioners to help other much poorer pensioners out by donating the money they got for doing nothing, and don't need.

Aren't you playing the emotive card yourself?

Don't all pensioners do exactly the same kind of 'nothing' to get this benefit regardless of how rich they are?

I don't think pensioners paying 40% tax should get this benefit. The government need the money and this group of pensioners don't need it. No need to imply they are in some way on the rob.

MrRee_2

To be honest - I need the Winter Fuel Payment to heat my Swimming Pool ..

shortchanged_2

MrRee wrote: »

To be honest - I need the Winter Fuel Payment to heat my Swimming Pool ..

I think you'll find it's called a bath.

StevieJ

wotsthat wrote: »

I bet a lot more people (votes) were affected by the child benefit changes. How many pensioners can there be paying 40% tax - I'd suggest that, as a percentage the numbers are pretty small.

Maybe not many over 40% but they know how many receive over 24k by the reduction in age allowance, they could make this the cut off for receiving all the freebies.

VfM4meplse

We live in a free society and people are entitled to do what they like with their money.

The Surviving Winter campaign have the freedom to ask the question, but I suspect will be whistling for a long time :whistle::whistle::whistle:

kabayiri

FTBFun wrote: »

Pensioner's tend to actually vote, I'd wager.

I read a while back that the number of pensioners was double those of youngsters in the young 18+ bracket, and they were twice as likely to vote too.

So that sounds like a 4:1 advantage.

And now that the silver surfers have worked out how to use the mouse, gawd only knows what power they will have next week

Graham_Devon

wotsthat wrote: »

Aren't you playing the emotive card yourself?

Bloody hell, what?

How on earth do you construct such a response?!

And you suggest I am implying some pensioners are on the rob!? Give up, and go find someone else to have you petty little "Look what I can do when I strip all context, aint I just the very cleverest out there" arguments with.

I may not agree with you on house prices, but you really are stretching it a bit far with that little response.

kabayiri

This all feels a little bit silly to me.

You have an energy industry which, since privatisation, has spawned so many tariffs you would not believe. Generally, the wealthier people can hunt out and go for the better tariffs, dual fuel / online etc.

Maybe this is too speculative, but poorer pensioners are likely to be on the poorer tariffs no? So why can't they direct the allowance through the tariff system, and ask the energy companies to profile their customer base a bit more.

proactive

MrRee wrote: »

To be honest - I need the Winter Fuel Payment to heat my Swimming Pool ..

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

wotsthat

Graham_Devon wrote: »

And you suggest I am implying some pensioners are on the rob!? Give up, and go find someone else to have you petty little "Look what I can do when I strip all context, aint I just the very cleverest out there" arguments with.

I may not agree with you on house prices, but you really are stretching it a bit far with that little response.

It's not that big a stretch. ISTL said that this was a campaign to pull on the heart strings. You disagreed and responded..

Originally Posted by Graham_Devon
I don't think they are doing that. They are just asking wealthy pensioners to help other much poorer pensioners out by donating the money they got for doing nothing, and don't need.

(my bold)

i.e. you've dismissed the emotive argument by making one yourself.

Benefits should be targeted towards need. I think we both agree.