Yes, let's go there. Seen comments across a few threads but it deserves a thread of its own. I'm in favour of the abolition of universal heating allowance. Far too many received it who frankly don't need it. We can debate the cut off point, that's valid, but paying £100s to wealth people just ain't on. I don't recall the same outrage when Universal Credit was cut by £1000+ a year when the covid uplift was removed, in fact I recall many comments about having to just cancel Netflix or stop ordering those oatmilk lattes. I have no skin in the heating allowance debate, but I get the feeling that everyone is going to be feeling the pain by the time of the budget in October. We are skint and something needs to be done.
I can't afford my heating (energy bills) over summer so **** knows how we'll cope. I'll put heating on as a Xmas gift for the kids.
11.5m got it last year. 10m will lose it. No warning from Labour as to their intent. That is far too deep a slash. It is a brutal policy enacted against vulnerable people. Then you have mealy mouthed Starmer saying the pension increase will help offset it. That is clearly a cynical spin when the pension increase is to offset other costs of living increases, thus linked to wage increases. He will only be right if other costs do not go up, which we already know has happened. His narrative around this is franky rubbish and he could have easily gone after other cuts, or expenditure. You are right in that something needs to happen, and I welcome paying my extra bit, but unless Labour start showing the general public more respect for our intelligence, and showing more intellect themselves in terms of how to make apporpriate choices, we are going to continue the downward spiral and the same brand of rubbish politics we have jad for umpteen years.
Blokes played a blinder here. They’re going to cut much deeper, but will get away with it. Simply because nothing they do will appear to be as outrageous as attacking the elderly, no matter how much dosh it’s made out that they have!
I think my biggest problem with the current debate is that age is being used a defining factor. There are loads of households who can't afford to turn the heating on, some are disabled people who can't work, some are working families with bairns, some are pension age. We need a broader support system to look after all those in need.
I don't think anyone was expecting it, and given both the OBR and IFS have said some overspend was hidden ahead of the election (argue about the £22b figure by all means) the WHA is an easy target. My sticking point is the use of age as a defining factor, there are plenty of needy / vulnerable people out there who can't afford to turn the heating on.
Part of the reason some people can’t pay is the actual over high cost which Ofgem help the companies set to ensure they make obscene profits. Earlier in the year Sunak took some of their profits saying it wasn’t right that they were creaming it in on the back of the “ war” world price , doing nothing extra themselves to earn it. ( didn’t think that his chancellor therefore got an unexpected bonus at our expense though). At that point they didn’t reduce prices , so since have continued building up the bank account and yet still are applying price increases. As for Ofgem —- I have it in writing from them that because they don’t want a situation like a few years ago when electricity companies went bust , they set prices to make sure no one ever now goes bust. Free reign for the CEO’s then to hand out big dividends and bonuses without bothering to run a good company
The relevance of age is the older you are the more vulnerable you are to a weaknd immune system and with cold comes illness as a result. It is an arbitrary thing but appropriate all the same. I wonder what the cost to the NHS is of more elderly people becoming ill? Notwithstanding I would like a fairer system all round.
They are attacking the wrong cohort for their 1st big cut, and there’s not a great deal of saving. Why attack the elderly 1st instead of the millionaires or rich corporates. I agree rich pensioners should not get the WFA so some form of target is required. I would’ve removed it 1st from pensioners who pay the higher tax rate. Overall this is a huge own goal for Labour, and won’t be forgotten at the next election. Bart
I think that can apply at any age though, but maybe not as broadly. I have chronic kidney disease that is thankfully well managed by our fantastic NHS, it doesn't have any effect on my heating expenditure but I speak to so many people on the renal unit when there who are of working age and not so well off but get little help if any.
You would like to think it is really simple to join data govt has about us. If you are being treated for the sort of illness you describe then a cross reference to inland revenue to see if you should get extra support. Shouldnt really be difficult at all.
My in-laws are ****ing loaded. They are raging at Starmer and "typical Labour" for removing their winter fuel payment. Entitled ****s
just the next attack on the needy, most will have gone unnoticed by the majority of people but belive me it has been almost non stop while the 'super safe and comfy rich' get away with murder. still plenty shouting 'its nowt to do with us' but one day they will get hit and there will be no one left to help them.
100% the main issue is the constant soaring price of energy and the massive profits being made by the energy companies. I think the UK are/had the second most expensive average cost when compared to Europe, Ireland were the most expensive by a long way. We need to be investing massively in additional power generation in the UK and quickly. Unfortunately we are skint as an economy, bit of a catch 22 at the minute and there will be more cuts to come to get us back on an even keel.
I found myself agreeing with a woman saying this is the older generations karma. The majority wanted the good old days back and are now paying the price for it. Then I feel gutted for this with disability who've got nowt and are going to really struggle. Then I wonder how many say they are going to struggle yet went on holiday multiple times over the last 10 years and never thought to insulate or fix their roofs etc... Sometimes people make god awful decisions and then play ignorant when the **** hits the fan. Nee ****er is going to tax the energy firms to cover the shortfall.
The higher rate of tax starts at £50,271, so if you earn £50,000 you are a lower rate tax payer. Probably splitting hairs to make a point, so I'll make it easier by saying should a pensioner with pension income equivalent to the average earnings of a worker (roughly £35,000) get WFA? Not in my opinion.
