hifinutt
20-05-2017, 14:15
everyone talking about the tories means testing the winter fuel allowance
funnily enough :
The Labour Party introduced Winter Fuel Payments in 1997. They were
first announced by Gordon Brown, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, in
his Pre-Budget Statement on 25 November 1997.8
However, in a speech in 2013, then Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls said
that given the pressures on public spending, when thinking about the
Labour Party’s forthcoming Manifesto, it could no longer be a priority to
continue paying the Winter Fuel Payment to the richest 5% of
pensioners who paid higher rate tax.9 This was again confirmed by the
Shadow Chancellor in March 2015, and was included in the Labour
Party Manifesto 2015:
We will stop paying Winter Winter Fuel Payments to the richest five per
cent of pensioners.10
however maens testing seems problematic . age concern said
Why not means-test the winter fuel payment so it only
goes to those who really need it?
Means-tested benefits are complicated and often fail to reach
many who need them. For example around of third of older
people who are entitled to pension credit are missing out [Income
Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-up in 2009-10 DWP, 2012].
Universal benefits are the most effective way of ensuring that vital
support reaches all who need it, including the very poorest who
are not receiving the means-tested benefits they are entitled to.
Any increase in means-testing risks penalising those vulnerable
people who may slip through the net or who are too proud to
claim. Over the years this universal benefit has become an
essential weapon in the battle to stay warm during winter and is
an important income boost for many older people with low state
pensions
And means-tested benefits are expensive to administer.
much food for thought here , especially as prices rise for gas and leccie . we don`t want anyone to die of fuel poverty which they do now
funnily enough :
The Labour Party introduced Winter Fuel Payments in 1997. They were
first announced by Gordon Brown, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, in
his Pre-Budget Statement on 25 November 1997.8
However, in a speech in 2013, then Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls said
that given the pressures on public spending, when thinking about the
Labour Party’s forthcoming Manifesto, it could no longer be a priority to
continue paying the Winter Fuel Payment to the richest 5% of
pensioners who paid higher rate tax.9 This was again confirmed by the
Shadow Chancellor in March 2015, and was included in the Labour
Party Manifesto 2015:
We will stop paying Winter Winter Fuel Payments to the richest five per
cent of pensioners.10
however maens testing seems problematic . age concern said
Why not means-test the winter fuel payment so it only
goes to those who really need it?
Means-tested benefits are complicated and often fail to reach
many who need them. For example around of third of older
people who are entitled to pension credit are missing out [Income
Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-up in 2009-10 DWP, 2012].
Universal benefits are the most effective way of ensuring that vital
support reaches all who need it, including the very poorest who
are not receiving the means-tested benefits they are entitled to.
Any increase in means-testing risks penalising those vulnerable
people who may slip through the net or who are too proud to
claim. Over the years this universal benefit has become an
essential weapon in the battle to stay warm during winter and is
an important income boost for many older people with low state
pensions
And means-tested benefits are expensive to administer.
much food for thought here , especially as prices rise for gas and leccie . we don`t want anyone to die of fuel poverty which they do now