Standing Charges

GoldenOldy

Just a thing. If you happen to agree maybe sign this… https://campaigns.ageuk.org.uk/page/154268/petition/1?locale=en-GB&en_chan=fb&ea.tracking.id=FBshare&en_ref=281966408&fbclid=IwY2xjawEpn8RleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHbkBLEeTJvPRhVS5DYLbdR03IzkwI2ZOWCrgNERgr0QxrJzFXfPeFgPRFA_aem_Aumjw8eCZM152UvqqJ3a7A

wrf12345

Well, I signed it, getting rid of the standing charges paid for by a small rise in unit cost would have balanced out the complete elimination of the winter fuel payment and saved the govn even more money. But that requires intelligent thought in politicians. The next hit on pensioners will be forcing them to pay NI on income etc, perhaps renamed as social care insurance.

BarelySentientAI

wrf12345 said:

getting rid of the standing charges paid for by a small rise in unit cost would have balanced out the complete elimination of the winter fuel payment 

Erm, what?

That makes no sense.

MeteredOut

wrf12345 said:

Well, I signed it, getting rid of the standing charges paid for by a small rise in unit cost would have balanced out the complete elimination of the winter fuel payment and saved the govn even more money. But that requires intelligent thought in politicians. The next hit on pensioners will be forcing them to pay NI on income etc, perhaps renamed as social care insurance.

You do know the standing charge is not a tax that goes to the government, yes?

Scot_39

wrf12345 said:

Well, I signed it, getting rid of the standing charges paid for by a small rise in unit cost would have balanced out the complete elimination of the winter fuel payment and saved the govn even more money. But that requires intelligent thought in politicians. The next hit on pensioners will be forcing them to pay NI on income etc, perhaps renamed as social care insurance.

There is nothing in that age uk  link about removing standing charges.

And in fact it specifically mentions a group who would - certainly if calcs done at median tdcv - most likely be financially harmed by such a move - the elderly infirm and disabled using large than average amounts of energy for medical needs.

And the NHS levy proposed by Johnson and Sunak, scrapped by Truss in late 2022 iirc was essentially on that basis and applied to all age groups.

But like income tax - that wouldn't have impacted the poorest 50% of pensioners - the c6m of state pension age as of 22/23 depending on exactly which set of hmrc figures you use - who don't pay income tax either - as dont earn over £12570.  And some of SPA who do pay are still working- some by choice, but suspect many also by financial need.