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Clegg says better off pensioners must give up benefits....
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I am with youngmafbog, why do they constantly cut-back on things that go towards making the last few years of life for some of our countries most vulnerable, a little more comfortable, and yet at the same time continue to increase the vast amounts of cash we hand out to other countries?
I wonder if these politicians would grab money from their Grannies to dish out to someone at the bottom of their street?
I wonder if these politicians would grab money from their Grannies to dish out to someone at the bottom of their street?
I don't see the problem at all. We offer a range of universal benefits to our pensioners,such as a free bus pass, free TV Licence, cold winter payments etc., and for a lot of pensioners, these are undoubtedly valuable and welcome perks. For some pensioners, these benefits are potentially essential.
There are however an awful lot of pensioners for whom these benefits are meaningless - and of those, many would not begrudge the loss of them atg all.
We keep being told we are in an age of austerity, that we are spending too much of the tax take on benefits - welfare, pensions, NHS, etcetc. We also keep being told by the Government that we are "all in it together". So, if you can find a threshold above which such free benefits are not applicable, that seems fine to me.
The big problem is how to implement such a system. The reason such benefits are administered as universal benefits is in a large part due to the setup and associated administration cost of implementing a targeted benefits system and the vetting that would be needed.
We now have an estimated 10 million of our 60 odd million population over 65. The cost of free bus passes and winter fuel allowances free TV licences etc. must run into the £billions each year, so it is certainly an area worth looking at.
There are however an awful lot of pensioners for whom these benefits are meaningless - and of those, many would not begrudge the loss of them atg all.
We keep being told we are in an age of austerity, that we are spending too much of the tax take on benefits - welfare, pensions, NHS, etcetc. We also keep being told by the Government that we are "all in it together". So, if you can find a threshold above which such free benefits are not applicable, that seems fine to me.
The big problem is how to implement such a system. The reason such benefits are administered as universal benefits is in a large part due to the setup and associated administration cost of implementing a targeted benefits system and the vetting that would be needed.
We now have an estimated 10 million of our 60 odd million population over 65. The cost of free bus passes and winter fuel allowances free TV licences etc. must run into the £billions each year, so it is certainly an area worth looking at.
This is ridiculous. Today's pensioners are mainly war and post-war babies grown up - the people who have paid more into the system than anyone else. Apart from the immorality of the suggestion, the cost of implementing it would far outweigh any financial benefits to the Exchequer. Better off pensioners do not claim some of the benefits they are entitled to, e.g. free bus passes.
If the Tories get back in with the help of the Liberals you can bet all those benefits pensioners gained from Labour will disappear.
No more free bus travel
No more Winter fuel allowance
No free TV licences for the over 75s
You can already hear the mutterings from the Commons but its only because of the pledge Cameron made before the election not to get rid of them that keeps them going until the next election.
The Liberal scheme is totally unworkable because there are not enough millionairres to make much difference. So they will have to fall in with the Tory plan of also including middle earners and pensioners with a small private pension or some savings.
I wonder how many pensioners will vote Tory or Liberal at the next election?
No more free bus travel
No more Winter fuel allowance
No free TV licences for the over 75s
You can already hear the mutterings from the Commons but its only because of the pledge Cameron made before the election not to get rid of them that keeps them going until the next election.
The Liberal scheme is totally unworkable because there are not enough millionairres to make much difference. So they will have to fall in with the Tory plan of also including middle earners and pensioners with a small private pension or some savings.
I wonder how many pensioners will vote Tory or Liberal at the next election?
// No more free bus travel
No more Winter fuel allowance
No free TV licences for the over 75s //
These benefits were introduced in a time of prosperity and a booming economy. Pensioners had paid for TV licenses and public transport for decades before they were introduced as election bribes which is the same reason they are difficult to get rid of. We can no longer afford these benefits which most people do not need.
No more Winter fuel allowance
No free TV licences for the over 75s //
These benefits were introduced in a time of prosperity and a booming economy. Pensioners had paid for TV licenses and public transport for decades before they were introduced as election bribes which is the same reason they are difficult to get rid of. We can no longer afford these benefits which most people do not need.
But Gromit. You have missed my point. How can we say we cannot afford these benefits whist handing out buckets of cash and £2m houses to foreigners, Quangos, a bloated civil service and an open door policy to the NHS etc?
As I said before, if everything had been addressed then I think it wold be acceptable. but everything is far from addressed so it is not acceptable.
They are just looking for the easy option, bleed the law abiding tax payer - again.
As I said before, if everything had been addressed then I think it wold be acceptable. but everything is far from addressed so it is not acceptable.
They are just looking for the easy option, bleed the law abiding tax payer - again.
I have to declare an interest, being eligible for bus pass, free tv licence and cold weather payment. My net worth taking assets and income into account certainly put me in the Clegg firing line. However, it is only the cold weather payment that is automatically paid by BWP, you have to apply for the others. I have been a continuous tax-payer from the age of 16 to date, and paid NI until aged 65. Over my working and now retired life I have contributed far moor than I will ever take out. Let Clegg set an example and surrender some of his outrageous parliamentary pay, allowances and gold plated pension.
One would not need to afford these benefits were the pension considered sufficient to live a decent quality of life on. I'd prefer to do away with the benefits for all, if the pension wasn't always considered to be less than comparable pensions in other western countries pay. The last thing a pensioner's pride needs is to feel they are receiving handouts when, after paying in for years, they should be receiving a pension at a level society could take pride in.
That said, with no free bus passes who's going to ride the busses mid-morning and mid-afternoon ? There is some method in the madness.
That said, with no free bus passes who's going to ride the busses mid-morning and mid-afternoon ? There is some method in the madness.
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