Winter fuel allowance gone 🤔

[JohnfromUK]

1 minute ago, Pushandpull said:

This is nonsense. A second child would yield £16.95 a week if I recollect correctly. A third child nothing.

I think you are right at present.  There is a 2 child 'cap' limit? 

However in the past more children gave more child benefit.  Many MPs on the left want to bring that back.  Starmer has resisted so far and in fact removed "the whip" from some rebels who voted for an amendment tabled by the SNP which would have removed the limit.  They included former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, former shadow business secretary Rebecca Long Bailey, and back benchers, Zarah Sultana, Apsana Begum, Imran Hussein, Ian Byrne and Richard Burgeon.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

This country needs no more population.   

We have to keep the birth rate going.

But quite why any family would want more than two children is beyond my comprehension.

[JohnfromUK]

4 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

This country needs no more population. 

Agreed, but more importantly - The WORLD needs no more population.

[button]

11 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

This country needs no more population.   

We have to keep the birth rate going.

But quite why any family would want more than two children is beyond my comprehension.

100%

[oowee]

9 hours ago, JohnfromUK said:

One thing all working people should be doing from their first jobs is (crazy as it sounds) is thinking about how they will save and fund their lives, families, housing  and retirement. 

ALL governments have agreed that people should be saving for retirement and in my working lifetime there have been NUMEROUS schemes, changes, variations, mixes of state pension and 'defined contribution' or 'defined benefit schemes', State Earnings Related Scheme (SERPS), the ability to "Contract Out", Guaranteed Minimum Pensions, so called "Free Standing Additional Voluntary Contribution Schemes" (FAVCS), number of years to qualify.  ALL of these have been 'tinkered with' by various Chancellors.  Gordon Brown raided private schemes.  It has been a real minefield where the rules continually change. 

No-one can plan for their future with any certainty.

If the government (all colours) really want growth, that needs money (capital) to fund it, and allowing people to have money to save, and save it in a tax environment that encourages long term saving.  This continual uncertainty as to what people will get in retirement, what will be suddenly taken away, and what tax relief will be allowed when saving money in - and what tax will be payable on drawing money out simply makes people realise that it is not worth saving.  That means less pension funds to finance industry and growth.

The reality is that the whole huge pot of privately owned money held as part of everyone's pensions (both working and retired people) provides the money to fund industry growing ............. and what they need most is long term stability and certainty.  Instead they get continual moving goalposts and an undulating playing field.

^^^^^ This. Also a pensions allowance to save that is greater for savings in British business. 

1 hour ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

This country needs no more population.   

We have to keep the birth rate going.

But quite why any family would want more than two children is beyond my comprehension.

^^^^ This. 2 is not enough to do it but why would anyone would want more. 

[Pushandpull]

In the 2017 manifesto, the Conservatives planned to means test the WFP, and also to remove the cap on social care. Just saying.

[JohnfromUK]

4 minutes ago, Pushandpull said:

In the 2017 manifesto, the Conservatives planned to means test the WFP, and also to remove the cap on social care. Just saying.

so what?  More (MUCH more) seriously - they were not revealed in Keir Starmer's 2024 manifesto.

2017 was Teresa May.  I think you will find neither of them were in the more recent 2019 (Boris Johnson) or 2024 (Rishi Sunak) Tory manifestos.

In 2019 Labour (Jeremy Corbyn) in their manifesto promised;

• Free bus travel for under 25s
• Scrap Universal Credit
• Nationalise key industries
• Stop state pension age rises
• Hold another Brexit referendum

There are shedloads of 'manifesto promises' from all sides that never went forward.  Manifestos are about winning elections, not being in government.  They come and go as the wind blows and leaders change, and quite honestly almost no one really believes much of what is there.  They are a 'wish list'.  I have winning the lottery on my wish list, but rather doubt it will ever happen!

[old man]

13 hours ago, Jega said:

Along with the little bit she added on about removing the proposed cap on care costs should you require care in your old age , then it's bye bye house and any other assets you've worked all your life for . Pensioners really really easy target .

It's to be hoped that some of the strange decisions beig made now are not an indication of stupid policy to follow. I had hoped for more intelligence?

[janner]

I hope they dont twig that there are loads of pensioners and older folk driving around in pre '84 road tax exempt vehicles, land rovers and the like, if they have been so picky as to go for the fuel allowance then i would think a lot more will come under scrutiny once they have settled right in,

Edited July 30 by janner

[Ratlegs]

Lets have a general strike while the weather is good

go to the beach and welcome the drainers to the system

58 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said:

so what?  More (MUCH more) seriously - they were not revealed in Keir Starmer's 2024 manifesto.

2017 was Teresa May.  I think you will find neither of them were in the more recent 2019 (Boris Johnson) or 2024 (Rishi Sunak) Tory manifestos.

In 2019 Labour (Jeremy Corbyn) in their manifesto promised;

• Free bus travel for under 25s
• Scrap Universal Credit
• Nationalise key industries
• Stop state pension age rises
• Hold another Brexit referendum

There are shedloads of 'manifesto promises' from all sides that never went forward.  Manifestos are about winning elections, not being in government.  They come and go as the wind blows and leaders change, and quite honestly almost no one really believes much of what is there.  They are a 'wish list'.  I have winning the lottery on my wish list, but rather doubt it will ever happen!

All the new immigrants don't know about the mess labour caused last time

and the ones who can remember should have known better than to vote for the ***** ********

[oldypigeonpopper]

11 hours ago, ShootingEgg said:

How about starting with the breeders who just throw out another kid when they need a new BMW. But can't be ***** to work. Nah let's hit people who work hard and pay there way.

Hello, 20 Kids and counting 🤔

[oldypigeonpopper]

11 hours ago, JohnfromUK said:

One thing all working people should be doing from their first jobs is (crazy as it sounds) is thinking about how they will save and fund their lives, families, housing  and retirement. 

ALL governments have agreed that people should be saving for retirement and in my working lifetime there have been NUMEROUS schemes, changes, variations, mixes of state pension and 'defined contribution' or 'defined benefit schemes', State Earnings Related Scheme (SERPS), the ability to "Contract Out", Guaranteed Minimum Pensions, so called "Free Standing Additional Voluntary Contribution Schemes" (FAVCS), number of years to qualify.  ALL of these have been 'tinkered with' by various Chancellors.  Gordon Brown raided private schemes.  It has been a real minefield where the rules continually change. 

No-one can plan for their future with any certainty.

If the government (all colours) really want growth, that needs money (capital) to fund it, and allowing people to have money to save, and save it in a tax environment that encourages long term saving.  This continual uncertainty as to what people will get in retirement, what will be suddenly taken away, and what tax relief will be allowed when saving money in - and what tax will be payable on drawing money out simply makes people realise that it is not worth saving.  That means less pension funds to finance industry and growth.

The reality is that the whole huge pot of privately owned money held as part of everyone's pensions (both working and retired people) provides the money to fund industry growing ............. and what they need most is long term stability and certainty.  Instead they get continual moving goalposts and an undulating playing field.

Hello, The vast majority of young people cannot afford to save for retirement , young people with families paying huge rent , young single people around the vale have ziltch chance of home ownership, even a young local MP 

[ShootingEgg]

2 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, 20 Kids and counting 🤔

If you have 20 then fair play to you. I struggle controlling one toddler right now hahaha

[johnphilip]

1 minute ago, ShootingEgg said:

If you have 20 then fair play to you. I struggle controlling one toddler right now hahaha

He is chaning his name to " oldbabepopper"  sorry OPP could not help myself😀

[oldypigeonpopper]

5 minutes ago, johnphilip said:

He is chaning his name to " oldbabepopper"  sorry OPP could not help myself😀

Hello, No worries John, Keep out the sun 😀

9 minutes ago, ShootingEgg said:

If you have 20 then fair play to you. I struggle controlling one toddler right now hahaha

Hello, I googled the Channel 4 programme 🤔

[ShootingEgg]

3 minutes ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, No worries John, Keep out the sun 😀

Hello, I googled the Channel 4 programme 🤔

Yeah thought you may have, but still I tried to make a funny. 

 I know of people in my area who will push out another child in the hope of getting more free money... Then kicking off about 3 weekly bin collection and what will the council do to help them!!!! I'd suggest the snip would be a good start

[johnphilip]

37 minutes ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, No worries John, Keep out the sun 😀

Hello, I googled the Channel 4 programme 🤔

Sun sun , this is scotland  you know , laid on the sofa , done me lowed back in . 

[Vince Green]

On 29/07/2024 at 18:00, marsh man said:

To make extra savings , do you think it would be a good idea in charging a one off , or a yearly fee for a bus pass , I don't use mine much now I am by myself but most of us could afford a nominal amount , even £50 a year is only a quid a week and one trip would cost more than that .   MM

What I was a bit grieved about was when they cut out the t v licence when you reached 75 , although the medical prescriptions are a good saving .    MM

Bus pass is paid for by Council not central Government.  But its a veiled subsidy to the bus companies to help keep them running services during the day 

[Mungler]

On 29/07/2024 at 16:34, Newbie to this said:

I'd dare say the amount this minister recovers, probably wouldn't cover their wages/costs

Spot on.

On 29/07/2024 at 17:48, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Next it will become means tested and cost more to work out than it supplies to the genuinely needy.

It will be the means to hire more civil servants and enlarge the state.

Employment laws will be changed and unions will be strengthened, making it impossible to get rid of them in the future. 

[Mungler]

On 29/07/2024 at 19:41, JohnfromUK said:

Indeed they are, and no harm caused by upsetting them as they are not generally Labour voters (they have been around long enough to see what happens when you have a Labour government)

100%

[Bobba]

On 29/07/2024 at 18:19, oowee said:

Why give anyone a winter fuel allowance when they can afford it themselves. 

So, what positive steps did you take to hand yours back?

[JohnfromUK]

According to one paper, Labour were promising as recently as the election campaign that the WFP was 'safe' with them;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13690055/Labour-coming-Britains-old-folk-Worse-likely-follow-NEIL-CLARK.html

I'm afraid pensioners are in for further 'defunding' to pay for the greedy union driven wage demands, which will prevail because the Labour party (and in fact many MPs separately) is in effect bribed - sorry 'funded' by the unions.

[armsid]

Expect council tax to rise to pay for pay rises If something like a poll tax where everyone over 18 and recieving benefits or working payed something into the local economy £10.00 wk would make everyone pay their way. At the moment a single person gets 25% dis on council tax which works out more than occupiers of multi households who still use council services etc.

[oowee]

23 minutes ago, Bobba said:

So, what positive steps did you take to hand yours back?

Hand what back? 

[ShootingEgg]

Here it comes. Fun times ahead. 

 

The chancellor has said the government will likely raise some taxes in October's Budget after months of speculation about Labour's stance on tax.

"I think we will have to increase taxes in the Budget," Rachel Reeves told the News Agents podcast.