Post EPG energy prices

Ultrasonic

Staffordian11 said:

cjbennett2 said:

Alnat1 said:

Plenty of disabled and pensioners who can afford it. It needs to be targeted at specific households who can't afford it, not groups of people who might not be able to.

I think everyone accepts this, but finding a way to implement it that doesn't involve spending a fortune on bureaucracy to administer it is the stumbling block. 

surely the best way of targeting is through the benefits system / universal credit. it's not perfect but it's better than starting from scratch and avoids any additional funding requirements for administering.

Probably a good starting point, but what about pensioners who get no benefits but perhaps have just a small occupational pension and a modest state pension? No system can 100% pick up just those who need help.

How about the eligibility criteria for benefits being extended in the light of the increased cost of living?

Staffordian11

Ultrasonic said:

Staffordian11 said:

cjbennett2 said:

Alnat1 said:

Plenty of disabled and pensioners who can afford it. It needs to be targeted at specific households who can't afford it, not groups of people who might not be able to.

I think everyone accepts this, but finding a way to implement it that doesn't involve spending a fortune on bureaucracy to administer it is the stumbling block. 

surely the best way of targeting is through the benefits system / universal credit. it's not perfect but it's better than starting from scratch and avoids any additional funding requirements for administering.

Probably a good starting point, but what about pensioners who get no benefits but perhaps have just a small occupational pension and a modest state pension? No system can 100% pick up just those who need help.

How about the eligibility criteria for benefits being extended in the light of the increased cost of living?

And before you know it, the resulting cost is as high as the current EPG cap...

chris_n

Genuine question as I don't know how it works in UK but is it not possible to target around the council tax rebate system or otherwise around income tax data.

EssexHebridean

chris_n said:

Genuine question as I don't know how it works in UK but is it not possible to target around the council tax rebate system or otherwise around income tax data.

I was just thinking around this. There is definitely going to be a band of pensioners who - because of private pensions don't qualify for pension credits, but the income tax systems should be able to ascertain those who are only "just" in that bracket of not qualifying, surely? 

Ultrasonic

Staffordian11 said:

Ultrasonic said:

Staffordian11 said:

cjbennett2 said:

Alnat1 said:

Plenty of disabled and pensioners who can afford it. It needs to be targeted at specific households who can't afford it, not groups of people who might not be able to.

I think everyone accepts this, but finding a way to implement it that doesn't involve spending a fortune on bureaucracy to administer it is the stumbling block. 

surely the best way of targeting is through the benefits system / universal credit. it's not perfect but it's better than starting from scratch and avoids any additional funding requirements for administering.

Probably a good starting point, but what about pensioners who get no benefits but perhaps have just a small occupational pension and a modest state pension? No system can 100% pick up just those who need help.

How about the eligibility criteria for benefits being extended in the light of the increased cost of living?

And before you know it, the resulting cost is as high as the current EPG cap...

Clearly not. 

[Deleted User]

Staffordian11 said:

Ultrasonic said:

Staffordian11 said:

cjbennett2 said:

Alnat1 said:

Plenty of disabled and pensioners who can afford it. It needs to be targeted at specific households who can't afford it, not groups of people who might not be able to.

I think everyone accepts this, but finding a way to implement it that doesn't involve spending a fortune on bureaucracy to administer it is the stumbling block. 

surely the best way of targeting is through the benefits system / universal credit. it's not perfect but it's better than starting from scratch and avoids any additional funding requirements for administering.

Probably a good starting point, but what about pensioners who get no benefits but perhaps have just a small occupational pension and a modest state pension? No system can 100% pick up just those who need help.

How about the eligibility criteria for benefits being extended in the light of the increased cost of living?

And before you know it, the resulting cost is as high as the current EPG cap...

I would think that any "extended criteria" is going to be well short of universal and unlimited support.

gt94sss2

Ultrasonic said:

Staffordian11 said:

cjbennett2 said:

Alnat1 said:

Plenty of disabled and pensioners who can afford it. It needs to be targeted at specific households who can't afford it, not groups of people who might not be able to.

I think everyone accepts this, but finding a way to implement it that doesn't involve spending a fortune on bureaucracy to administer it is the stumbling block. 

surely the best way of targeting is through the benefits system / universal credit. it's not perfect but it's better than starting from scratch and avoids any additional funding requirements for administering.

Probably a good starting point, but what about pensioners who get no benefits but perhaps have just a small occupational pension and a modest state pension? No system can 100% pick up just those who need help.

How about the eligibility criteria for benefits being extended in the light of the increased cost of living?

It doesn't matter what the eligibility criteria are if individuals don't claim that benefits they are already entitled too.

For instance, its estimated that 850,000 are entitled to Pension Credit but don't claim it

Spoonie_Turtle

Ultrasonic said:

Staffordian11 said:

cjbennett2 said:

Alnat1 said:

Plenty of disabled and pensioners who can afford it. It needs to be targeted at specific households who can't afford it, not groups of people who might not be able to.

I think everyone accepts this, but finding a way to implement it that doesn't involve spending a fortune on bureaucracy to administer it is the stumbling block. 

surely the best way of targeting is through the benefits system / universal credit. it's not perfect but it's better than starting from scratch and avoids any additional funding requirements for administering.

Probably a good starting point, but what about pensioners who get no benefits but perhaps have just a small occupational pension and a modest state pension? No system can 100% pick up just those who need help.

How about the eligibility criteria for benefits being extended in the light of the increased cost of living?

Extremely unlikely given that they won't even commit to raising means-tested benefits in line with with inflation.

gt94sss2 said:

Ultrasonic said:

Staffordian11 said:

cjbennett2 said:

Alnat1 said:

Plenty of disabled and pensioners who can afford it. It needs to be targeted at specific households who can't afford it, not groups of people who might not be able to.

I think everyone accepts this, but finding a way to implement it that doesn't involve spending a fortune on bureaucracy to administer it is the stumbling block. 

surely the best way of targeting is through the benefits system / universal credit. it's not perfect but it's better than starting from scratch and avoids any additional funding requirements for administering.

Probably a good starting point, but what about pensioners who get no benefits but perhaps have just a small occupational pension and a modest state pension? No system can 100% pick up just those who need help.

How about the eligibility criteria for benefits being extended in the light of the increased cost of living?

It doesn't matter what the eligibility criteria are if individuals don't claim that benefits they are already entitled too.

For instance, its estimated that 850,000 are entitled to Pension Credit but don't claim it

While this is true, working-age benefits are much harsher than pension-age benefits.  Non-pensioners who are struggling because there is no help they can claim are way down the priority list for discretionary help, especially if they are not severely disabled and don't have young kids.