Political Discussions And Ranting Thread

[En Passant 3,741]

Just now, TQR said:

 

OI.

You've got some nerve

[prussianblue 1,035]

Enjoying the notion that it's the Labour government that's responsible for Crem's dad apparently being an abusive cunt to his son.

 

Btw Crem, it's Farage. One R.

[TQR 14,397]

1 minute ago, prussianblue said:

Enjoying the notion that it's the Labour government that's responsible for Crem's dad apparently being an abusive cunt to his son.

 

Btw Crem, it's Farage. One R.

 

Add another 'R' for Russia, I guess.

[prussianblue 1,035]

Just now, TQR said:

 

Add another 'R' for Russia, I guess.

 

Same rationale for the bizarrely large number of people who write about 'Borris'?

[Toast 16,140]

1 hour ago, The Old Crem said:

I regret promsming my dad the Tories were lying when they said labour would cut it. Now I get the abuse and have been told I will suffer the loss of that money.

 

Oh, what a shame. Crem's Dad is going to take it out of his pocket money. 

 

[AstroKat 534]

1 hour ago, TQR said:

 

The Winter Fuel Allowance is being means tested, so the only people losing out are wealthy pensioners. 

 

That isn't necessarily true. More than likely there is a group of pensioners who do not qualify for pension credit, but have found that they rely on the winter fuel allowance, especially in recent years. This will always be the case when it comes to means tested benefits, there will be a group that don't qualify but struggle to get by on an income just above the qualification limit.

 

That being said, according to figures issued by the DWP last year there are approximately 850 000 households who qualify for pension credit but don't claim it. So those households are evidently getting by without it.

 

It was always ludicrous that all pensioner households automatically qualified for the winter fuel payment, there are a significant group of pensioners who don't need it. My mother (who was a nurse) doesn't need it, nor do her friends. They've been squirreling the money away in savings or using it for holidays.

[Toast 16,140]

1 minute ago, AstroKat said:

It was always ludicrous that all pensioner households automatically qualified for the winter fuel payment, there are a significant group of pensioners who don't need it. My mother (who was a nurse) doesn't need it, nor do her friends. They've been squirreling the money away in savings or using it for holidays.

 

You're right.  This is a very obvious saving to be made and I don't begrudge it at all.

I didn't need mine last year, so I put it into Premium Bonds in case I needed it later.  It's already won me an extra £100

 

 

Quote

From this year onwards only those receiving pension credit or certain other means-tested benefits will be eligible for the winter fuel payment.

Pension credit is a benefit for those over state pension age who are on a low income.  [BBC]

 

It's not just a low income. They take savings into account, above a certain amount you don't get pension credit.

[TQR 14,397]

16 minutes ago, AstroKat said:

 

That isn't necessarily true. More than likely there is a group of pensioners who do not qualify for pension credit, but have found that they rely on the winter fuel allowance, especially in recent years. This will always be the case when it comes to means tested benefits, there will be a group that don't qualify but struggle to get by on an income just above the qualification limit.

 

That being said, according to figures issued by the DWP last year there are approximately 850 000 households who qualify for pension credit but don't claim it. So those households are evidently getting by without it.

 

It was always ludicrous that all pensioner households automatically qualified for the winter fuel payment, there are a significant group of pensioners who don't need it. My mother (who was a nurse) doesn't need it, nor do her friends. They've been squirreling the money away in savings or using it for holidays.

 

Yes, poor wording there on my part, I meant 'wealthier' as in 'not the lowest income'.

 

Means testing should be a bit more sophisticated imo with all types of benefit including this one, but that'd require more investment in the necessary auditing facilities, which hopefully will come alongside the proposed HMRC boost to deal with tax avoidance/evasion.

[The Old Crem 3,606]

1 hour ago, AstroKat said:

 

That isn't necessarily true. More than likely there is a group of pensioners who do not qualify for pension credit, but have found that they rely on the winter fuel allowance, especially in recent years. This will always be the case when it comes to means tested benefits, there will be a group that don't qualify but struggle to get by on an income just above the qualification limit.

 

That being said, according to figures issued by the DWP last year there are approximately 850 000 households who qualify for pension credit but don't claim it. So those households are evidently getting by without it.

 

It was always ludicrous that all pensioner households automatically qualified for the winter fuel payment, there are a significant group of pensioners who don't need it. My mother (who was a nurse) doesn't need it, nor do her friends. They've been squirreling the money away in savings or using it for holidays.

It’s a lot lower than the equivalent means testing that Child benefit does. 

[The Old Crem 3,606]

1 hour ago, Toast said:

 

You're right.  This is a very obvious saving to be made and I don't begrudge it at all.

I didn't need mine last year, so I put it into Premium Bonds in case I needed it later.  It's already won me an extra £100

 

 

 

It's not just a low income. They take savings into account, above a certain amount you don't get pension credit.

 

[RoverAndOut 4,746]

 

Ok, so you need to understand Star Wars, but this tickled me. If the Empire were the Republican Party... 

[AstroKat 534]

7 minutes ago, RoverAndOut said:

 

Ok, so you need to understand Star Wars, but this tickled me. If the Empire were the Republican Party... 

 

Who's Jar Jar Binks in this analogy? The Republican base?

[RoverAndOut 4,746]

18 minutes ago, AstroKat said:

Who's Jar Jar Binks in this analogy? The Republican base?

 

Mitch McConnell. 

[Sod's Law 445]

4 minutes ago, RoverAndOut said:

 

Mitch McConnell. 

Or pick any right-leaning member of the Supreme Court, especially the Trump picked ones. 

[Brad252 807]

I wonder if this yellow card rule backfires on the Tories: I can see certain leadership candidates like Badenoch being "sadistic" and desiring more cards to generate support, remembering we are talking about the Tory party membership here.

[The Old Crem 3,606]

2 minutes ago, Brad252 said:

I wonder if this yellow card rule backfires on the Tories: I can see certain leadership candidates like Badenoch being "sadistic" and desiring more cards to generate support, remembering we are talking about the Tory party membership here.

It just sounds like a stupid unserious publicity gimmick . 

[RoverAndOut 4,746]

3 minutes ago, Brad252 said:

I wonder if this yellow card rule backfires on the Tories: I can see certain leadership candidates like Badenoch being "sadistic" and desiring more cards to generate support, remembering we are talking about the Tory party membership here.

 

They've got to get on the ballot, though, remember? MPs get to choose the two on the ballot.

[Toast 16,140]

3 hours ago, The Old Crem said:

 

 

You quoted me.  What's your point?

[TQR 14,397]

1 hour ago, Toast said:

You quoted me.  What's your point?

 

A reminder to block him.

[The Old Crem 3,606]

1 hour ago, Toast said:

 

You quoted me.  What's your point?

That Age Uk are condemning it.

[Toast 16,140]

14 hours ago, The Old Crem said:

That Age Uk are condemning it.

 

Nothing to do with what I wrote, then.

 

They say

"Means testing the winter fuel allowance will hit some of the poorest in society the hardest .  They include 800,000 people who are entitled to claim pension credit but do not do so."

 

Well, those 800,000 people can still get it, can't they?  No one else's fault if they don't bother to claim it.

I've always thought it was ridiculous for everyone to get it, including the richest people in the country.

 

 

[The Old Crem 3,606]

1 hour ago, Toast said:

 

Nothing to do with what I wrote, then.

 

They say

"Means testing the winter fuel allowance will hit some of the poorest in society the hardest .  They include 800,000 people who are entitled to claim pension credit but do not do so."

 

Well, those 800,000 people can still get it, can't they?  No one else's fault if they don't bother to claim it.

I've always thought it was ridiculous for everyone to get it, including the richest people in the country.

 

 

It’s not always easy to claim - i believe it’s all online forms which a lot of older people really struggle with. 

[Toast 16,140]

17 minutes ago, The Old Crem said:

It’s not always easy to claim - i believe it’s all online forms which a lot of older people really struggle with. 

 

Then Age UK should be helping them. Isn't that what they're for?

Anyway isn't part of the new measures going to be making it easier for people to get pension credit. 

[The Old Crem 3,606]

9 minutes ago, Toast said:

 

Then Age UK should be helping them. Isn't that what they're for?

Anyway isn't part of the new measures going to be making it easier for people to get pension credit. 

It is meant to be but people have talked about maijgn things easier for people struggling with technological changes and it never does.

[TQR 14,397]

Why did IainLodger end up getting banned? Wasn’t that for pissing most of us off with a load of inane shit?