General Discussion
just a load more scaremongering on something that isn't actually planned to take place at the present time - better to spend less time worrying about things that might not even happen and more time enjoying the life you are living right now. It doesn't have to all be doom and gloom unless you go looking for it all the time.
Might not be due to take place at the present time true - but in a few years time? Those due to come under the new pension scheme wef April 2016 might be very interested in knowing whether or not such things as winter fuel allowances, bus passes etc will be universal benefits in addition to this new state pension or if they will be mean tested benefits or perhaps not exist at all.
Tis only 3 years away after all. Worry about it? Perhaps not. Be aware that it is in the air? Definitely. And the more so the nearer you are to state retirement age at 2016 and beyond.
But this is pure newspaper speculation which is great for selling papers and little else. Worry about it IF or WHEN they start discussing it. To do so beforehand is a waste of energy because like so many of these things it probably won't come to anything and even if it does it won't be as described in the article because these things never seem to be.
Not speculation. The Lib Dems have mooted the idea before. Something to keep an eye on. How do you know it isn't being discussed behind closed doors? You don't, do you?
And talking of wasting energy. If you think this matter is of such little importance then why are you wasting your time and energy by continuing to post on this thread?
Because I know it annoys you because you can't bear that not everyone runs around in a panic all the time about things that might not even happen. Cabinet Office confirmed in the article you linked to that it is NOT being discussed at the present time. The only things you can't avoid in life are death and taxes - nothing new under the sun there. Spend my life worrying about it? No thanks, got a life to lead and enjoy.
How about this then?
I can't help but smile (in between yawning) that everytime DJ (or anyone else for that matter) posts on this thread they are bringing more attention to my original post.
Anyone else see the irony that DJ, who disputes the content of the newspaper article, nontheless keeps drawing attention to it by continuing to post here.
That what forums are about, you know, discussing and perhaps disagreeing. I don't see any irony in that.
Got to say (as a pensioner) I'd rather pay tax on my winter fuel allowance than have it taken away altogether (as often suggested recently). And remember, large numbers of pensioners don't get enough to pay tax anyway so it would make no difference to them/us. Want to hit the "rich pensioners" ? ... then maybe this is the way to do it. (Whether the civil service's computer systems could cope is another thing.)
@burneside - i don't have a problem at all with forums - as you say they are for discussing and perhaps disagreeing. so the more that post on this thread and discuss the issue i have raised the merrier.
If DJ thinks such a discussion is unnecessary and a waste of energy then that of course is DJ's perogative. In which case I would imagine DJ won't be taking part in any further discussion on this matter.
Oh and here's another link http://www.libdemvoice.org/clegg-pensioner-benefits-cameron-34259.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22327335 Duncan smith says wealthy pensioners should hand their benefits back
Just thought I would comment on this thread and I hope my comments are useful. In my day job I lobby and campaign for pensioners. The pension debate is an ongoing one. There will be one pension which at this moment in time would be £144 per week. The question I asked recently to an MP was 'how will this effect the benefits that pensioners on pension credit receive' his answer was 'we dont know yet'. No decisions on how this will all work have been made yet at government level.
On winter fuel allowance a small minority of pensioners such as MP's and wealthy business people do say that they dont want the winter fuel allowance and other benefits, when asked about this, the MP said that there was not the facility to deal with requests such as this, but is someone didnt want the allowance they should give it to charity.
Thanks for the info Linda - anymore info that you can give, as and when things develop, would be gratefully appreciated.
I see from this week's Gazette that our MP, who sits on the relevant parliamentay committee, is involved in the whys and wherefores concerning the new pension scheme which is due to come into play in April 2016. She is therefore an ideal person for people to contact if they have any queries about the present pension system, the pension system wef April 2016, age related benefits eg winter fuel allowance. Here is how to contact her:
Constituency Office
2 Salisbury House
Salisbury Road
Newton Abbot
Devon TQ12 2DF
Telephone: 01626 368277
or Westminster Office
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA
Email: annemarie@annemariemorris.co.uk
From the papers over the weekend
Benefits for Pensioners
Iain Duncan Smith said the wealthy elderly have a choice as to whether to hand back some of their benefits. Wealthy elderly people who do not need benefits to help with fuel bills, TV licences or free travel should return the money, the work and pensions secretary says. Iain Duncan Smith told the Sunday Telegraph he would "encourage" people who do not need such financial support "to hand it back".But the decision whether or not to do so was up to them, he added. His cabinet colleague Ken Clarke acknowledged there was no mechanism for people to repay the government.
Deputy PM Nick Clegg said the suggestion did "not make sense". Prime Minister David Cameron has already said the benefits would be protected for the entirety of this Parliament, including for the year 2015-16. A general election will be held in 2015, and Mr Duncan Smith said there were no plans to means test to exclude richer pensioners. He told the paper: "I have no idea what we will put into the manifesto... I have no indication of change."It's fair to say that pensioners are more vulnerable than others and we need to be very careful about what and when we do things, if we ever do.” The prime minister has repeatedly committed himself to protecting universal benefits for pensioners, regardless of their wealth.
for info:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22016195
and note this which I found on another link
"some people on a workplace final-salary scheme pay less National Insurance (NI) because their state second pension is "contracted out".
They will receive a reduced version of the flat-rate pension to acknowledge the fact that they have not been contributing to the state second pension in the preceding years."