Rachel Reeves is right to cut winter fuel payment | Economics | New Statesman

“Economists will look at this from the left and the right and say the winter fuel allowance should not be a universal benefit” - Rachel Cunliffe.
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The Chancellor has announced a number of spending cuts in response to a “£22bn black hole” in the public finances - which, she claims, Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak “hid” from the country.
Jeremy Hunt denies this, claiming Reeves’ statement was political, paving the way for future tax cuts.
The OBR and IFS have both, largely, backed Rachel Reeves, who has acknowledged that the government will have to raise taxes in the next budget on October 30.
In this video, Rachel Cunliffe and Hannah Barnes examine the claims made by the current and former Chancellors, and discuss the impact of the cuts Rachel Reeves has announced - from winter fuel to social care and transport infrastructure.
Read more: Rachel Reeves has won the political blame game
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[@NewStatesman]

Watch next: Labour will scrap 2-child benefit cap, but not yet - Andrew Marr kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5OxnWR9ZrCobac

[@allendunlea7458]

you forgot free prescription

[@lindaramage69]

Will be 'bus passes' next. Wants to take away everything from the pensioners to pay for illegals 😮 they mean more to them than us. Thanks for voting Labour. You must be pleased now!!

[@clivet3252]

Huw's mate Andrew Marr

[@mards958]

The penny hasn't dropped. They don't want to scrap the 2 child limit and they won't unless they're forced to.

[@maisondusuave]

They better give us back the tax allowances for the other children, then!!!

[@johnwilson571]

So she has done the right thing? Why are M Ps still getting the Allowance why are they allowed to claim 3,500 plus for there Gas & Electric . Why are M Ps able to claim for a second home . Why do they rent out there home and charging rent etc. Why do they rent a property then claim money back from us tax payers. The System is very bent.Every MP are ripping off the Tax Payers of this Country.

[@stuontwo677]

That's a very simplistic view, and you've missed out some key facts. Not to say that there isn't exploitation, but you should balance your statement so it's not all as 1 sided as you make out.

[@clivet3252]

This is a pompous New Labour channel. They'll defend anything that horror does.

[@fenderek666]

@@clivet3252 That horror… What we had for 14 years was a fucking bliss, eh?

[@ndr8469]

This applies to pensioners on less than the minimum wage. Labour has dug it self a moral hole.

[@ndr8469]

​@@stuontwo677 Why does it penalise people on less than the minimum wage? Do explain.

[@raymonddickson8937]

SO why are MPs still going to get there winter allowance offfffffffffffffffffff £ 3500 EACH NOT £100 as pensioners are getting DISGUSTING DISGUSTING DISGUSTING

[@MattBooth]

They're not. You're either lying or misinformed.

[@stuontwo677]

There are limits to what MPs can claim We do not provide unlimited amounts of funding for utility bills either for an MP’s constituency office or secondary accommodation. Utility bills are one of a variety of business costs provided for through an MP’s Office Costs or Accommodation budgets. MPs must spend carefully to ensure they do not exceed these budgets, and if they do, they are required to make a repayment. Business costs are necessary for democracy to function IPSA was established to regulate the public money provided to MPs, as well as make sure MPs are appropriately funded to carry out their jobs. This is fundamentally important for democracy: without sufficient funding, MPs would not be able to focus on the important work of supporting and representing their constituents. If MPs had to fund this themselves, only independently wealthy people could afford to become an MP.

[@raymonddickson8937]

@@stuontwo677 Hit a NERVE i feel

[@margaretwyatt6689]

V

[@ilachauhan4666]

Disgraceful

[@1957bumpy]

So why do mps get £3400 heating expenses a year whilst freezing and starving pensioners to death this winter

[@invictus9578]

Maybe they could donate to the funerals of those who cannot afford to keep themselves warm

[@andrewmurray4308]

@@invictus9578 THEY ARE SEEKING A REDUCTION ON PAYING STATE PENSIONS TO PENSIONERS AS THEY PASS WITH HYPOTHERMIA

[@stukavonferno8858]

Taking the winter fuel allowance off pensioners while keeping their £3,400 allowance towards their heating costs is absolutely dispicable, they can also claim petrol/fuel expenses, all this on an 86K pa salary, they should be ashamed of themselves!

[@MurphyOCP-001]

It’s the only universal benefit for any age group regardless of income, it’s not a fair system it’s just a bribe the Tories used to get votes from old people

[@NeonVisual]

Yet you didn't seem to mind when the Tories were taking money out of the pockets of single mothers and working families to pay your energy bill while they sit there in the dark with no food.

[@mandywilliams8241]

Individuals who go into that line of work have no shame!

[@californiadreamin8423]

Are you talking about Farage and Corbyn ?

[@stuartregan1627]

Disgusting double standards.

[@michaelodowd4807]

its not that fecking complicated . Of course there are a higher percentage of millionaires over 65, and fine sure they won't miss the fuel payment, but there will still be millions of pensioners on basic pension who will not be eligible for pension credits who will suffer.

[@roseanncampbell3168]

Now it will be means tested. What dont you understand? 🙄

[@BlueFish-g5u]

Exactly!

[@violettruthseekermrsirvine5473]

My husband is one of them.

[@glen1555]

I filled in the questionnaire on the government's website and I don't qualify for pension credit. It asks what your income is, not what your outgoings are. Ok, where can I make savings so I can now pay my energy bill? Cancel luxurys like a daily newspaper and subscriptions to magazines like New Statesman. Guess I'll have to find a job, but having had 2 heart attacks in 12 months that will finish me off. Which will save Rachel Reeves £10,000 and the cost of all my medicines. This is a case of Buyers Remorse. Did Labour say pre election they were going to target pensioners?

[@Colin623]

@@roseanncampbell3168 You've been duped, I'm 73, single and on housing benefit, last winter I received £500 in energy support, above the standard £200 because of my income is too low, but as I understand it, this winter I will receive NOTHING, yet my sister in a similar situation will because she is on pension credit, pension credit tops up their income to the same rate as my standard full state pension, so her income is exactly the same as mine, but I won't get help when she will, do you consider that to be fair ?

[@ericplant5169]

Why won’t they cut the £8m per day ?

[@barriewilliams4526]

Because Starmer is batting for the other side....

[@jamesh1208]

​@barriewilliams4526 Why is he though? What are they benefitting from all this that I don't know about

[@ericritchie6783]

@@jamesh1208 Stuff what matey reckons it does of course...

[@ChristineRead-ck1uq]

The latest figures show it is actually costing up to £21 million a day to keep the illegals. That's over £7 billion a year. Labour have said they will save £1.5 billion by cutting the fuel payment to 10 million pensioners. So we now have confirmation that they don't give a toss about us Brits as long as the uninvited guests are warm and well fed and 'protected'.

[@Pilky-Bs2Mc]

They are - it's called processing them, unlike the Tories whom stopped processing asylum seekers completely

[@composedlight6850]

cut winter payments of £300 for pensioners --- but keep there £3,600 heating allowance for themselves.

[@ndr8469]

@@composedlight6850 It's clear that the Labour party Politburo is dictating to the people, while they sitting in luxury.

[@theresawinchester3834]

No to cutting our winter fuel allowance, for the older generation. They need to cut the Mp winter fuel allowance. They also need to cut Mp wages.

[@WendyJones-zx7is]

Well the Politicians will be nice and warm wont they ? We have 9 months of cold freezing Winter weather in Britain what the hell is she thinking to do this ? Elderly People will just die of the cold and many others will suffer

[@J-wm4go]

They’re taking it away from pensioners who should be able to afford to heat their homes. Those who can’t should still receive it. There is huge, huge intergenerational unfairness in this country, and taking away public money from those who shouldn’t need it is one small step in the right direction

[@stuartregan1627]

So if you don't work or save you get it . Great to know that work don't pay .

[@pearlford121]

​@@J-wm4go.So the ones that can just about scrape to pay their bill without the extra help as long as they dont have a bit of a cake for after their tea if its taken away are ok then. Ur priceless.and must be one of the lucky ones.

[@user-jr2fm1sg6b]

@@stuartregan1627 Always has been this dysfunctional way.

[@jamesowen1213]

Every government building should have their heating turned off twice a week to pay down the £22billion don't make the pensioners the only ones with hypothermia

[@pearlford121]

Exactly!. I call them sadists. as long as they are ok they dont give a dam!!!!!

[@neilrushworth5958]

So let me get this straight, the people who get money from the taxpayer can have more money,while people who have managed to save and never take any taxpayer money have it taken away? Also, did she say most pensioners are millionaires????

[@allanstack7016]

The thickness of some of these people never ceases to amaze me.

[@aidandesilva]

She didn't say that most pensioners are millionaires. She said that pensioners are more likely to have assets worth a million or more. Which is a fair point, as you get older you get more wealthy. If you can't afford the bills then you ought to be eligible for the credits and winter fuel payments. But there will be a grey area so they need to deal with the "cliff edge" issue

[@stuartregan1627]

People that work & save get no help because they have worked & saved but if you don't work & don't save you get everything for free. These 2 Doughnuts are the reason this country is in such a mess .

[@aidandesilva]

@stuartregan1627 people who are born into wealth might not necessarily have worked hard. People who rented all their life as a single earner are also disadvantaged It's not as black and white as that.

[@user-yi6ui6pn4i]

I'm a 66 yo OAP on £14k annually....thanks for that Cruella and nasty Labour.

[@goldengoose4985]

They waste people’s tax money and she cuts the pensions money basically. So why is she allowed to claim her energy costs on her home on top of her huge salary? Do other people have their bills paid on if they work. So on another issue, let’s build those migrant homes in labour areas and hers. Also if they have to give illegal migrants homes ( which l don’t agree with) why don’t they give them the old council homes/flats and move those uk residents in those council homes to the new homes. Otherwise it’s not fair at all.

[@sandrafrancis3631]

The uk has the lowest state pension in Europe along with Denmark. Now it will be even lower, in a time when fuel bills are still very high! Many poor pensioners will not get P.C. and will now lose WFA!! This is 6th richest country in the world with one of the lowest pension rates! Why!? Why not go over Amazon for tax instead!? I won't vote labour again!

[@kevingeoghegan294]

4:30 "I don't think that's regressive". So, how is cutting a benefit to a large group of pensioners not regressive? It seems to me by definition to be regressive. As for the supposed targeting of the poorer group of pensioners, will they be getting a corresponding increase in fuel allowance? I'd like to bet they won't get a penny extra. Remember it was the politicians that allowed the energy companies to make and keep obscene profits at the expense of their customers. Politicians ought to be in politics to make people's lives better. They plainly don't. They act like they hate the electorate.

[@LeafHuntress]

the wfa will go up from 200 pounds to 300, i expect your apology any minute now...

[@nikkijones4978]

My elderly Mum has planned to have enough money to pay the service charge on her flat for x years (she is frugal but her pension doesn’t cover her bills so she’s going into savings all the time). She’ll worry about having her heating on during the winter now.

[@christinamorrison6078]

I worked 45 years, live in a 2 bed council house, because i paid so much NATIONAL INSURANCE over my working life,i am not entitled to help including pension credit, this is totally unfair and needs to be changed , people who never work get it all handed to them on a plate, that includes people who have come to this country, i have saw videos where people from other countries given a house , no rent no gas, no electric to pay, qnd they had the electric heaters on 24) 7, and burned the cable box, HOW IS THIS FAIR, I WANT MY FUEL ALLOWANCE. 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡

[@Eltener123]

Maybe you should have worked a bit harder and smarter. You had 45 years to figure out your personal finances and still need the 200 quid?

[@julianmorris9951]

Sorry they’ve given it to a migrant, hope you didn’t vote labour 🤔

[@daveroberts4086]

⁠@@Eltener123Stammerite And Arrogant Has well You Must Be Very Rich 💰 Or Very Stupid.

[@namei8967]

​@@Eltener123How dare you! Tell a working class man to work hard and smarter, what have you done, a billionaire!? The 200 is not a charity from you, it is what he deserves for his life long contributions to this country!

[@Eltener123]

​@@daveroberts4086it's stupid to save money for retirement instead of pissing it all away then crying over 200 quid?

[@aficio698]

HANG ON A MINUTE! If there is an argument that winter fuel shud b restricted/means test. WTF r MPs getting winter fuel payments FUNDED BY THE TAX PAYER. LABOUR UR ON A VERY SHORT LEASH.

[@markbaker8326]

They can take money off pensioners. But they can find money for migrants.how much is that costing the country. Never tell you that

[@allanstack7016]

They have said its 1.6 BILLION, yes billion a year. But they are all nice and warm.

[@None-zc5vg]

...and the countless millions needed to prop-up (the) Ukraine

[@malcolm8564]

Through two world wars brits did not flee to other countries although many children were relocated to the countryside. I wonder why Ukrainians are not engaging in their war effort.

[@palmtreeshenanigans]

Stop energy companies from doubling prices during winter and this would be fine with me, but there are so many already suffering during winter and deaths from the cold weather, this should not ever happen in a modern country as wealthy as the uk.

[@gaz333]

the energy companies are still making a fortune during the summer months while the government is spraying the skies ever day to cool the temperature. why do you think we have had such a rotten summer ?

[@glostergloster6945]

Bingo. The answer is freezing or cutting the energy price cap not shovelling state subsidies to energy barons to keep prices high (which is what the winter fuel allowance is)

[@BLUESKY-zt1nv]

BRITISH GAS >..Chris O'Shea's pay package for 2023 is £8.2 million, consisting of an £810,000 salary, a £1.4 million annual bonus and £5.9 million in long-term bonus, pension and benefits.

[@LeafHuntress]

congratulations to all those pensioners that have voted tory all this time & especially for tatcher, bet you're happy now that all the utilities were sold off because the market would provide! (raw sewage in the rivers & high pay for CEO's)

[@ronaldgill9896]

Who is going to be the first MP who denounces their £3400 pound a year Fuel allowance?

[@user-or5pr2rt4e]

Are the MP’s going to stop the winter fuel benefit they get.

[@arthurhodgkinson8599]

But the MP'S still claim there winter fuel allowance, hypocrites.

[@mikeoglen6848]

Why would they need them when they are paid in excess o £90 000/ year

[@arthurhodgkinson8599]

@@mikeoglen6848 so they can heat their second home's and all the expenses that they claim of the taxpayers

[@TootlinGeoff]

The majority of MPs are NOT eligible for WFP as they are not pensioners

[@californiadreamin8423]

@@mikeoglen6848. Are you saying Corbyn and Farage are hypocrites ?

[@alandenholm9785]

@@californiadreamin8423yawn

[@KarenTurner-ti4jq]

Why r MPs getting it , r elderly will freeze but migrants illegally here in r country will b nice & warm in there free hotel rooms shame on u government 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧

[@DrBenVincent]

The government is not a household

[@patmartin9727]

Anyone who has worked and receive a full pension after having paid National Insurance all their working life can’t get pension credits. Anyone retiring after 2016 can not get pension credits unless they have not paid in. I totally agree some wealthy pensioners don’t need it but the cut off for pension credits is £218wk. At £218 a week I would not considered being rich.

[@mayerrathore8132]

Cut down foreign aid and give those money to the elderly people

[@californiadreamin8423]

The Tories cut foreign aid to the bone. Did that help the elderly ?

[@californiadreamin8423]

@@hellsbells7271 Did the winter fuel allowance cover pensioners increased energy bills ? It wasn’t just energy , but the cost of food, the the quality of food, and much more, and that is why the Tories were voted out of office. In the present circumstances, I think a fair decision has been made .

[@shuggiemcg1]

foreign aid actually helps keep immigration down!

[@seanevans6225]

We give away billions in foreign aid , but take away from pensioners who have worked and payed into the system all their life. How many more times can the so called leaders of this county kick us in the guts.

[@BeepBoop2221]

Nonit wasnt brown introduced the WfP ​@AndrewEdwardBailey

[@keithclinch1303]

My dad died a few months ago. He relied on his winter allowance every year. He was 90 and all he received was tax rises and disrespect from Tories and now the Labour are doing exactly the same thing??? Labour have turned into liars and as expected just as bad as rotten Tory thieves. Don’t make promises and then lie to us. My dad fought for this country, brought up his family and we had a secure life. This country has disrespected his life and millions of others! Labour gave me hope and now I’m sickened by them. This is largely due to unfettered immigration which has been a total disaster.

[@richardjones3112]

100% correct.

[@ster2600]

He's dead, so he wouldn't be eligible for the winter fuel allowance anyway, and won't be affected by the change

[@Biggest-e9v]

As I will not be receiving my winter fuel payment I shall start budgeting on how I will cope without it , 1 cooked dinner per month as things are now . As these politicians don’t care about people like me , osteoarthritis in my hands and legs but cannot claim benefits . I will have to get more part time hours . Retired 2 years ago …. Politicians s-t houses …..I hope they , one day realise what they have done to the British tax payer ….then again probably not …

[@Newsopathy-gf2ug]

This is a really well made point. This government's next day at the ballot box must be hastened.

[@carlcassidy185]

If you can't claim benefits, you must have £££££ 😂 the only reason to be denied is your financial status

[@Newsopathy-gf2ug]

@@carlcassidy185 Good luck to you, if, one day, you are reduced to this number of £££s. Evidently you, like the members of the political establishment and their lackeys, are not in this situation.

[@chrismoorembe6400]

Pensioners have assets more than one million? What planet you on? That may be true in your London bubble, but it isn’t true elsewhere. The ones who have paid taxes all their lives get punished, while the work shy and foreigners get rewards. Focus on UK citizens, and make cuts to oversea aid, and asylum seekers instead!

[@clivet3252]

Incredible the rubbish people talk isn't it? And people believe them.

[@user-iz9co4qf6z]

Take fuel off of pensioners and give the money to entitled middle class doctors. Well done

[@judyparsons1333]

Also take off pensioners the government has to find the money to take care of migrants

[@willowtree9291]

We need doctors, and if we don't pay them properly they will leave for countries where they are better paid.

[@PaulD330]

​@@willowtree9291Theres is gang of doctors running around stabbing people in Stoke as we speak.

[@willowtree9291]

@@PaulD330 ???

[@PaulD330]

@@willowtree9291 Doctors wear burkhas and carry machetes, we don't need more anymore of them.

[@Che317]

Poor Old people will be frozen this winter because they can't afford heating they will end up in hospital with pneumonia and flu and the hospital is already overcrowded. It is unfair on poor senior

[@Travel_Day_Dreams]

The definition of "well off" is anything above £218 per week (PC threshold as an individual), perhaps for journalistic integrity you could try living on that for a few months over the winter period and then tell us that pensioners are in a better shape than everyone else. This decision on Winter Fuel Payments will drag hundreds of thousands further into poverty, congratulations Chancellor, job well done. I suspect that this will not be the end of targeting pensioners to achieve spending reductions as they are such a soft target.

[@ster2600]

They aren't a soft target. They are more likely to vote and far more politically engaged (due to having more time on their hands) than working age people. That's why we got into the situation where we were giving them free money, the "winter fuel allowance".

[@elaineathwal1277]

I am a pensioner & i don't have my own house or money in the bank I've worked all my life & reared 4 kids on my own !!!!

[@LeafHuntress]

claim credit & the winter fuel allowance has been raised to 300 instead of 200 pounds

[@karencarlin4886]

One of the main reasons that people do not claim pension credit is because even though you are entitled to it no matter what your savings might be, if they go over £10k you have a reducing entitlement where you need to inform DWP for every £500 over you have so they can knock a pound off. It also means lets say you spened £500 going to Blackpool for a week and theoretically be entitled to your £1 pension credit you could be accused of deliberate "depravation of capital". Many older people have a tiny life time of savings nest egg that they ared afraid to let the DWP anywhere near looking at. You've only got to look at the carer's allowance scandal to see why people don't claim what they are entitled to. It's because they would rather be in poorer circumstances but know that what is theirs is really theirs and not under constant surveillance by the Stasi. Why do you think Mel Stride wanted to allow surveillance of pension credit claimants bank accounts at the end of the last parliament? Precisely because he would be able to turn an old dears trip to Blackpool into "fraud". So many in the media have no idea how the systems work in practice!

[@NeonVisual]

Exactly the same as means tested benefits. Any savings over £6k and money is reduced, any savings above £16k and there is no award. Why should millionaire pensioners be taking the food out of the mouths of working families?

[@karencarlin4886]

@@NeonVisual I actually agree with you. I wrote to Stephen Timms chair Work and Pensions Committee about this because I was sick of them talking about being able to claim even with £16 in the bank. Did you know those limits have only gone up once in 34 years? The capital allowances ere last uprated I think in 2006 and before that in 1990. You wou need £178 to buy now what you could buy in 2006 for £100. So if they were being anything like fair they would nearly double those capital allowances. So as the years go by fewer and fewer whether working age, disabled or pensioners will be eligible for them at all. I really don't think millionaires need the winter fuel allowance at all. What I was trying to say was that the way the means testing system works really puts off a lot of pensioners who should be entitled to it from claiming and yet so many commentators raise their hands as to why people don't do it.

[@NeonVisual]

​@@karencarlin4886 For the last 14 years and most of the 80's and 90's the Tories have been buttering up the elderly for their vote with free money and tax breaks. Now the Tories are no longer in power, they're having a reality check on the very benefits system they've spent decades attacking "scroungers" and demanding lower taxes from the Tories. The shoe is on the other foot. Unpleasant, isn't it?

[@daveroberts4086]

@@karencarlin4886 No Not Blackpool Please Don’t.

[@billburnett3902]

If finding out who and who isn't eligible is so difficult I would sack the people in charge of the systems. This should be very easy to do.

[@GamerX13X]

Governments and running poorly-designed databases, name a more iconic duo

[@johnwarner3809]

The majority of pensioner's are millionaires she says, these people are so far from the reality of the real struggles of the elderly it defies belief.

[@willowtree9291]

She didn't say that. She said a large number of people of pension age are millionaires. They then went on to say that a large number of pensioners are in poverty.

[@SAS-vx1jk]

WHat planet are you on to get this ' rich' pensioner information. Laughable . I know many many pensioners who are just about coping and having to cut down on so much. You're probably talking about ex civil servants on golden handshakes and good-byes and huge pension pots and final salary pensions paid by the taxpayers.

[@californiadreamin8423]

HMRC will know exactly the wealth or otherwise of pensioners , far better than you. I am not in receipt of pensioners credit and expect that my winter payment to stop, so it could be argued that I do not need it, and many do, so I think that is fair. One thing is clear to me. This Labour government are far more likely to help the poor, pensioners or otherwise, and the criteria for receipt of pensioner credit is more likely to be changed to benefit more pensioners.

[@californiadreamin8423]

@@AndrewEdwardBailey Are you saying that the Tories did a fantastic job for 14 years ?

[@californiadreamin8423]

@@AndrewEdwardBailey No poor pensioners are having money taken from them !! You are dumbing down and you are presenting what is occurring falsely.

[@LeafHuntress]

@@AndrewEdwardBailey one fifth of pensioners are millionaires if you see poor pensioners, direct them to pension credit, they will get a HIGHER winter fuel allowance than the current one

[@californiadreamin8423]

@@AndrewEdwardBailey Good for you helping elderly people. How many ? I can’t imagine it’s that many , but let’s say it’s a 100. Wow, and you speak for all elderly people do you. You don’t speak for me, because although I’ve had to tighten my belt, I’m not in need of help. The elderly people you deal with need your help, therefore it’s reasonable to assume they are on pension credit, and they will not be affected by the removal of the winter fuel allowance. As for your comment about Trump and his supporters , says more about you than about me. Perhaps you need help !!

[@user-cs1dt2xw4c]

Hypercrites all of them .

[@simonj5004]

The elderly for the most part are vulnerable and suffer physically in extremes of temperature. So much for compassion and caring for our older folks.Despicable.

[@ster2600]

Pensioners are benefit scroungers

[@professormcclaine5738]

Defending the indefensible.

[@neelamacwan7670]

She should be shuting down the migrants hotels costing 8million pounds per day

[@boyceland85]

It’s a good point. But where are they going to go?

[@ronaldgill9896]

@@boyceland85 How about France for a starter.

[@andrewjenkinson7052]

If she reduces fuel costs to what they were 4 years ago we will not NEED the winter fuel allowance. Stop the price gouging on gas and electricity.

[@philipbenjafield370]

Betrayal nothing more nothing less stop trying to justify an injustice

[@BlueFish-g5u]

Absolute tripe from these two out of touch women... Using stats in a most heinous way... Most pensioners are worried about bills and you have to be in really dire straits to get pension credit. Put these two on £800 or so a month!!

[@ster2600]

Pensioners are benefit scroungers

[@missydonnelly8286]

Pretty vile to take money from pensioners, maybe could have stopped the additional wife payments .

[@ster2600]

Additional wife payments? Is 1 wife not enough?

[@barryraynor1071]

Are they talking the winter payment off MPS £3500, I think not.

[@pauldonnelly4661]

Reform party prepare for government, because this lot won't last the year out.

[@bernardcollier1226]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😅 clueless

[@hughwatson9136]

Clueless entitled bints.

[@joeoria4497]

well it's a win win situation..freeze then RIP..saves pensions and you're left with empty properties for the replacements.

[@elpresidente8730]

There are many other benefit inequities that need to be looked at. I would rather see benefits targeted at those who really need them, but even more so I would like to see the benefits system reviewed to prevent exploitation. The state pension should not be classed as a benefit.

[@colinthornton5851]

How many million are they send overseas?

[@georgebullock7923]

milliband said we be getting 300 pound of our bills but in about 50 yrs time .meantime pensioners die fro cold co they scrapped the winter fuel allwance .. but mos get theur allownces including even ckaiming for pack of biscuits no there the Chancellor getting 90.000 pound oer year then her expenses her husband 100 000 a year now able to rent out their own house wonder ifcthey go cold over the winter

[@patmartin9727]

What ever wage rises people get the government gets nearly half of that back in taxes. Income tax,National insurance,Employers National Insurance. That’s not counting the 20% VAT they also get when people spend their rise in the shops.

[@simondaly9960]

It's right for Chancellor to ALL PUBLIC winter fuel payments, but PROTECTS ALL MPs winter fuel payments, while MP basic salary is £96k per year. That's far from right, its Authoritarian.

[@Jojolafleur979]

What about all the money that's been given to Ukraine 🤔

[@NeonVisual]

for our security

[@LeafHuntress]

the "money" for Ukraine isn't real money, it's old tat like old tanks & jets. if you think pensioners should heat their homes with old ordinances....

[@dennisjones5232]

If we're in such a state why are we giving 3 billion to Ukraine and all the other money in foreign aid

[@barriewilliams4526]

Because, they're not British.

[@boyceland85]

Because it’s in our strategic interest. And it’s the right thing to do.

[@jeanlawley6483]

@@boyceland85 The right thing to do is to look after the people who elected you ...

[@Royboy50]

@@boyceland85there are at least a dozen countries between Ukrain and the U.K. so what danger are we in and those closer aren’t

[@Royboy50]

@@jeanlawley6483that would be a nice start Jean ,but I suspect a good portion of the 30% that put these incompetents in government are now classed as far right thugs and the 70% remaining obviously are so they will not support you and me and millions more we are not worthy

[@JB_inks]

Given that Owen Jones was on TV talking about £20bn back in June I find it unlikely that Reeves didn't know about it. I find it utterly SHAMEFUL that a so-called Labour government has voted against removing a 2-child benefit cap and taking away the winter fuel payments to pensioners. Our pensioners get almost the lowest pension in the EU already so this is just going to cause yet more misery. Why do "difficult decisions" only affect poor people instead of the millionaires who can easily afford it?

[@smj337]

Remind me again why I have to pay for other people's child bearing decisions? The millionaires you referenced are statistically more likely to be pensioners you want to give winter fuel payments too. See the fault in your logic?

[@terrancehall9762]

​@smj337 that is stupid logic. We live in a connected society. Plenty of things you benefit from are paid by others.

[@dh1380]

The two child benefit cap will probably be lifted when it is a more financially comfortable decision. That is why you already have opposition MPs saying that Reeves will "u-turn" on it in future. And the decision on the fuel allowance is absolutely the right decision. Owen Jones is great and all but he doesn't live in the real world. The 20bn wasn't the unknown, it was the state of things due to unmade decisions and neglect.

[@nekozombieraw]

They're talking about different (but similar sounding amounts). Owen Jones was talking about future spending commitments (i.e. in a year's time), Rachel is talking about an immediate spending gap. The IFS who are behind the original critique have released a video of their own explaining the difference. Also, maybe hard to accept that not all pensioners are in poverty. Those who are will be supported.

[@mattpreece6106]

1st off its the Tories that burned that money and then lied to the OBR. Meaning it wasnt in public records, So be mad at them. 2nd working things out on the back of a napkin and estimating money based on speculation isn't evidence based calculus. 3rd Pensioners are not ALL poor or ALL rich. Most are better off than working people. The others are entitled (rightly) to benefits, discounts and support. This will impact those who mostly are more than OK.

[@peterkelly8357]

These two know absolutely FA about how pensioners live.

[@ster2600]

Pensioners are benefit scroungers

[@AndrewBrown-ws9ik]

yes !! take away the winter fuel allowance for pensioners who have worked most of there life and give £3500 winter fuel allowance to mostly lazy and greedy Mps who have not worked most of there life. a rule for us and a rule for them.

[@doyoumind.atall.stopspying5572]

She is totally wrong. She should go. Targeting pensioners and disabled people

[@JZTechEngineering]

Just do fairy tale economics, what could go wrong!

[@jurz995]

How so? The winter fuel payment was just a bung to one of the richest age groups in our country.. a quarter are millionaires..

[@paulfairbairn1066]

She's not targeting disabled people! Some pensioners really don't need the winter fuel payments, and surely it's better funnelled to those that do!?!

[@davidbarrett1006]

As a pensioner who was surprised to receive the allowance last winter, I don't feel targeted at all and neither am I, with the state and a modest occupational pension, wealthy. Of more concern is the care cost cap being kicked further down the road but that is an issue that has been going on for years.

[@patmartin9727]

@@jurz995well take it from that quarter of the pension population. Don’t leave elderly vulnerable people to die in the cold.

[@catherinemartin6258]

The next generation won’t even get a pension never mind a winter fuel payment .

[@ster2600]

Pensioners are benefit scroungers

[@benny210169]

MPs got a £5k increase to their salary this year. £5.4bn in hotel bills. She's like a video game. Legacy of Pain: Old Reaver. A story about Raziel Reaves and her quest to reave the old in times of cold.

[@christopherdavis4135]

As someone to the left, I'm ashamed that some people that are supposedly on my side of the political spectrum are comfortable with the Winter Fuel Payments being cut. A lot of pensioners are certainly not wealthy, and many are only a few quid over the threshold required to qualify for Pension Credit. This policy imo is very off the cuff, and certainly hasn't been thought through properly.

[@ster2600]

People have been demanding this policy for literal decades, it's not off the cuff at all. The payment will be means tested, so still available for those who need it. Why do working age people have to jump through so many hoops to get any help while pensioners get handouts?

[@billburnett3902]

Social care is a nightmare to deal with. Do we want to pay for it or not? That is the question people need to answer. The problem is people want everything without paying for it up front.

[@KarenaDashfield]

That's hard to swallow when the government spend so much on supporting those who have no right to be here. Stop the boats, stop the rot.

[@denisej4813]

And the treatment of unpaid carers of all ages, including the older ones, is absolutely shocking. Apart from the LibDems, whose leader has had significant caring responsibilities of his own, none of the parties even bothered to give unpaid carers a mention in their manifesto. The borough I live in has around 18,000 unpaid carers. If 99% carried on as normal and just 1% decided they couldn't / wouldn't carry one for whatever reason, that would - assuming a one-carer-to-each-cared-for person ratio, although some carers look after more than one person - leave around 180 people who would suddenly need to have care provided and paid for by the local authority, or in some cases require hospital care with little hope of being discharged. The local social care services and NHS would struggle big time to cope with that extra level of demand, yet these carers apparently don't merit a mention..

[@NeilRussell-g4h]

Maybe if pensioners had been pre-warned about the plan to withdraw winter fuel payments as a universal payment they wouldn’t have voted for labour. Who was being dishonest about their intentions now? I am so so disappointed I was expecting labour to open and honest. I thought the tories were dreadful but now I believe all parties are dishonest. Pensioners have no trade unions to protect them they can only protest through their vote and many must feel that they have conned out of their vote by labour being less than honest about their plan to attack them without warning. 😊

[@JZTechEngineering]

The previous government forgot the whole "Don't lie to the OBR and have reasonable estimates of spending" thing

[@palmtreeshenanigans]

The problem is when the next election cycle comes around and people realise both parties are not worth voting for and decide to vote reform or even worse.

[@jurz995]

@@palmtreeshenanigans Old people dont vote for Labour anyway. The vast majority vote for the tories or reform (of which the tories are almost solely reliant)

[@daveroberts4086]

WRONG 😑 You All No Nothing It’s The Pensioners Who Are Getting No Winter 🥶 Fuel Allowance. So Don’t You Forget About That.

[@daveroberts4086]

Neil. So True Well Said Let’s Save Our Pensioners From These Corrupt Politicians And Their Corrupt Government Of Thieves. Stammer OUT.

[@ianpearce6179]

It's ok building thousands of houses but cancelling hospitals? Existing hospitals can't cope as it is??

[@NeilWood-sd3ko]

Last year the winter fuel payment dug me out of a hole without me having to apply for benefits. Many thanks to all who voted Labour. More money for them to squander on illegal immigrants.

[@ster2600]

Immigrants do more for the economy than pensioners

[@user-yi6ui6pn4i]

£22B black hole due to mountains of Labour spend and waste....spent all the money already on our failed public sector...abysmal productivity.

[@Tyler.i.81]

Target to poor great idea I'm sure people will love labour for this. At least the Tories helped the poorest people though cost of living crisis, it sounds like labour wont do anything to help vulnerable people. Labour always do this make out like they are for the people but really they are champagne socalists toffs not labour of years gone by.

[@clivet3252]

Spot on. Labour governments are no good for the poor.

[@hugodrax71]

If this had been the Conservatives, you'd have gone into meltdown.

[@molemarden5188]

The only black hole is between Rachel Reeves ears.

[@roguetrooper5401]

Listening to these two is like listening to a pair of wombles talking and what do wombles talk about rubbish

[@ster2600]

Wombles contribute more to this country than pensioners

[@mazzdd999]

I wouldn’t call a pensioner getting state and private pension totalling £24,000 before tax, a rich pensioner, would you? When a person retires if they’re getting a private pension/full state pension they’re not able to claim pension credits. Pension credits are reserved for people who’ve not been able to work or claim benefits, for instance, someone who’s stayed home to look after their children where their partner hasn’t got a private pension (there are other reason of course) and not entitled to claim UC. Under this new rule pensioners getting less than a living wage but not getting pension credits aren’t entitled to winter fuel payments. I can understand if someone is in the higher tax bracket, but this is outrageously callous.

[@bernadettebrown1852]

oh yes you must cut this, because the elderly die alot quicker when frozen from cold. very well done labour

[@wamteng3790]

Why save those that voted for Brexit that destroyed opportunity for the young while eroding their employment rights?🤷‍♂️ If anything, they should feel honoured to contribute this cut to winter fuel allowance as willing patriots.

[@bernadettebrown1852]

@@wamteng3790 well i will try again. if you think brexit was a mistake, please look at the EU's finances, then look at ours. the majority voted for brexit, that means you are not in touch with what most brits are feeling, and why. you have a little bubble with people who dont disagree becausse they themselves have not educated themselves on what most brits want. Starmer have been saying ever since brexit that he wants open borders, no one should be refused. and yet now that he is in power people are crying because he hasnt stopped immigration.are you kidding me?

[@bernadettebrown1852]

@@wamteng3790 my comments keep getting deleted, and they arent even rude.

[@bernadettebrown1852]

@@wamteng3790 i disagree with you, but im not allowed to tell you how or why, because im being censored.

[@wamteng3790]

@@bernadettebrown1852 Well, I suggest those affected watch Disney's Frozen in the winter as most young girls had sang - The cold have never bother me anyway. It should allowed them to brave the winter months.

[@geoffmillington6784]

A disgrace cutting the Winter Fuel Allowance. What happens when lots of pensioners die of hypothermia this coming Winter 3 😢

[@user-yr6rj5pi1d]

What about changing the gold-plated pensions of Snivel Serpents?

[@deniseezzi3729]

When elderly people start dieing of hyperthermia because they will no longer get the heating allowance I hope people who are agreeing with the govt stopping it are happy 🤔

[@stephfoxwell4620]

Cut the MPs £26 a day breakfast allowance.

[@ster2600]

You're talking about pennies

[@stephfoxwell4620]

@@ster2600 £130 a week for 40 weeks for 640 people is £3.3 million a year.

[@ster2600]

@@stephfoxwell4620 and there are far more than 640 pensioners!

[@stephfoxwell4620]

@@ster2600 The Winter fuel saving for the Treasury is £1.5 billion per year. Halving MPs expenses and abolition of the House of Lords would save about £75 million. 6% of the former but no reason not to do it.

[@philiphoward4966]

£3,400, yes £3,400 is the heating allowance for MPs. How dare she, start by scrapping that allowance. Start by scrapping the MPs allowance

[@BeebyUK]

Yet MPs can get their utility bills paid.

[@jonshadow4052]

MPS get £3.400 fuel allowance

[@ster2600]

Who cares? It's pennies

[@marksutherland774]

They can look after themselves, they can dish out money to rent entire hotels for people not entitled to live here, but they can't look after the people who likely fought for our right to be free. We this pair, clearly labour lovers, agreeing with it. I'm surprised you've even got a paltry 133k subs, I watch hobby channels with more subs, but they deserve them.

[@AramasG]

I agree that it should be means tested. All benefits should be because wealthy people don’t need them. I do however think the criteria to qualify for it should be reasonable and not an amount that would leave people destitute.

[@jeanmyers1787]

I am 71 years old and have no savings left due to sale of company I worked for with minimum redundancy pay, followed by Covid, I therefore rely on winter fuel payments. If I don’t receive help in cold weather I will spend my what is left of my pension on a choice between food and heating. I totally agree with means testing however.

[@francisravenscroft-dw6gi]

Would the Labour government like to stop tax payers from funding £3 billion in migrant accomadotion and welware as well ? Not likely. Perhaps Reeves should look at these numbers ; UK general election votes Wes Streeting held on to his seat by 500 votes. margins count chancellor and a lot of Labour MPs know that very well

[@jasonaris5316]

Half the shortfall is the 5.5% pay rise awarded to public sector workers so not quite the gap we are being told

[@jeanlawley6483]

Yea the left are hypocritical liars ... always have been, always will be

[@MidnightSouls]

Well, to be fair, giving public sector workers a payrise to match historic inflation isn't an award, it's a necessary uplift to avoid them taking a further 5.5% real terms pay cut. It's not this optional extravagance that governments pay its doctors and teachers. If you stop paying them, we stop having them.

[@jasonaris5316]

@@MidnightSouls I am a public sector worker when you look at other benefits (especially pensions) it’s not quite as clear cut we are poorly paid compared to private sector workers

[@Sharon-marie]

Thats the government all over, no matter who's incharge

[@kylehogg5910]

What about your cheap meals and brinks in the house p and the 3500 pound to the mp

[@ster2600]

You're incoherent

[@tonybredin6081]

80% did not vote for these clowns......no mandate

[@denisholder4782]

Didn’t cut it for the MPs though did she

[@ster2600]

You're talking about pennies

[@denisholder4782]

@@ster2600 not to a hard up pensioner who starmer went on tv to say they would be supported with fuel gets in power and shafts them to my mother it was a lifeline party for the working class my a@@@

[@ster2600]

@@denisholder4782 not sure pensioners are working class. They don't work at all

[@denisholder4782]

@@ster2600 troll someone else

[@davidcaldwell4953]

This 22 billion pound black hole labour. What a joke without doubt Labour would of known exactly what the country's finances were . They are there for all partys to see. Making out they didnt know gives them a perfect opportunity to go back on there policies. Conned again by slippery politicians. I hope all the labour voters are pleased

[@rufustfirefly7389]

For me winter 2024 will go from being comfortable to freezing cold. That's the thanks you get for working 42 years, paying your taxes and having only modest savings. Meanwhile, at the local migrant hotel .........................

[@ndr8469]

But they don't regard you as a worker. The latest middle class millionaire PM is still able to make ends meet.

[@rufustfirefly7389]

@@ndr8469 You're right. I didn't know our new PM was a Surrey lad. How does he manage that Northern accent for so long?

[@user-nh2rj2vn4y]

The winter fuel payment is very needed in this economy. The government should do this at least . All they do is take off us .

[@czerwonadupa9547]

But "Robber Reeves" didn't include herself & all Westminster MPs who receive up to £3,000 fuel allowance on top of their second homes & over generous expenses.

[@tg4941]

Let's all let Rachel know by.writing to her with our gloves on when it's freezing cold and can't get in as she is snowed up happy in the knowledge she can put the heating on full as she's has a heating allowance. Let that be means tested too eh?

[@johnjones375]

A lot of old people going to hospital due to the cold weather, hope there’s plenty of beds for them

[@jimgillies1749]

Looking forward to the winter weather in the Highlands temperature drops to -15 . Another London based out of touch Tory sorry Labour politician 😂

[@davidfoster2006]

The not so well off pensioners lose 300 pounds but the MPs can claim a 3500 pound fuel allowance.

[@elizabethpointing]

Labour talking rubbish what she is talking rubbish. It was her job to find out and she knew