The Labour Government

[BrianW]

I think it's great that so many people now clearly recognise the advantages of universal benefits. I welcome this change.

Taken together with the great conversion to the advantages of PR voting, it seems to me that public opinion is at last shifting in a more progressive direction.

 

[Chippy_boy]

My wife lives off dla and doesn't get winter fuel allowance.
Her parents own a house worth over half a million and have over 100k in the bank. They get wfa.

So what?

This is what I dislike about Labour and some Labour supporters. They hate people being well off. Who give a toss if someone whose paid thousands in in tax all their lives gets a few hundred quid back. I am not remotely fussed. Good on them, who cares. Some of them give it away to charity anyway.

This bitterness is a peculiar British disease. Hating anyong who is better off, so they like keying the side of a nice car.

 

[Scottyboi]

Around 800,000 pensioners who ARE eligible, don't claim it. There can be many reasons for this: They don't know they can; they don't think they'd get it; they are too proud; they don't know how; the have dementia; they can't understand the forms etc,

And EVEN IF all 800,000 claimed tomorrow, then we could not process all the claims in time. Martin Lewis reckons that even with a big push there will be at least 700,000 people on less than £11,400 per year who are going to be £500 worse off this winter as a result of this shameful act from Labour.

At what age does taking personal responsibility end? Being proud won't keep you warm but they were perfectly fine having WFA it was still a benefit just in a different name. These people aren't babies. And anyone with dementia or other serious health issues should be getting claims done for them by care providers or family if they have them. The internet has been out for over 30 years being a luddite isn't an excuse anymore.

 

[Scottyboi]

So what?

This is what I dislike about Labour and some Labour supporters. They hate people being well off. Who give a toss if someone whose paid thousands in in tax all their lives gets a few hundred quid back. I am not remotely fussed. Good on them, who cares.

This bitterness is a peculiar British disease. Hating anyong who is better off, so they like keying the side of a nice car.

Child benefit is means tested like the vast majority of benefits, and now so is WFA all in this together eh.

 

[Chippy_boy]

I think it's great that so many people now clearly recognise the advantages of universal benefits.

I've been saying for years we should (and will have to) move to some kind of Universal Basic Income.

Also that the personal allowance should be at least £20k.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Child benefit is means tested like the vast majority of benefits, and now so is WFA all in this together eh.

I'd prefer that is was not means tested. (I have no kids by the way, I have no horse in this race.)

It would make life a whole load simpler if there were taxes that you paid according to your income and then benefits that everyone got. It would do away with a whole load of bureaucracy, make things much more efficient, reduce fraud etc.

And simply have appropriate tax rates.

 

[Scottyboi]

I'd prefer that is was not means tested. (I have no kids by the way, I have no horse in this race.)

It would make life a whole load simpler if there were taxes that you paid according to your income and then benefits that everyone got. It would do away with a whole load of bureaucracy, make things much more efficient, reduce fraud etc.

And simply have appropriate tax rates.

Maybe so that could be a good idea, but right now that isn't on the table and this has now become means tested like the benefits the working age population have to claim.

 

[BlueHammer85]

Check my posting history. I criticised them plenty.

Easy to constantly criticize rather than be rational.

 

[Bluesince1979]

They did, vast majority of pensioners don’t need this and it’s a big step in reducing 22 billion black hole. They wouldn’t want to have made this decision and knew full well the backlash, better to get the tough decisions away early in a political reign.

Lots and lots of other ways of reducing that black hole

 

[BlueHammer85]

Lots and lots of other ways of reducing that black hole

indeed, scrapping Rwandan plan will save millions, Recouping lost billions in dodgy covid contracts and PPE, Tougher fines for Water Companies that the Tories allowed to pollute our rivers and seas - all being done but will take time. they will implement further policies and tax rises for sure also.