Sven
Well-known member
I’m young enough to still have Grandparents knocking around so I do know elderly people.Ok, how many elderly do you really know? Some are au fait with technology, a hell of a lot aren't and wont have a Scooby how to apply.
Also it’s a generation, including mine where most don't want benefits because they are proud people, unlike the Benefits Bistro culture championed by Labour.
My Granddad passed away a couple of months ago at 89 but his wife who is 80 is still in the house. We were very close and I used to help them with their finances and bills etc. Their house is paid for, they had 50k in premium bonds each. The bank once rang them and said they had too much money in their current account and would have to move some funds elsewhere. My granddad told me they literally couldn’t spend the money they received from their pension. They had a place in America for a number of years, a place in Spain after that.
My Granddad owned his own business and his wife didn’t work, they did well for themselves but they weren’t anything special, they did very well from the property boom and were lucky with selling at the right time.
He absolutely does not need the winter fuel payment but I absolutely guarantee he’d be complaining to anybody who’d listen.
On the other end of the spectrum there’s mg Grandma (85), who lives in a rented one bedroom flat. I’m not entirely sure of her situation but I believe she is on some benefits to help with the rent etc so I imagine she’ll be on pension credit and will still receive the winter fuel payment.
The first example obviously doesn’t need the winter fuel payment, they’ll make more than that off premium bonds winnings every month. The latter example will probably still get it but I doubt she needs it, she’s gifted me £1000 in the last year to help us buy a pram and other things for the baby.
I think “metaphorically drowning” is so bloody dramatic. Are you really going to struggle to put the heating on?
I’m completely behind this policy because I think it directs funds from people who don’t necessarily need to working people who are going to be the ones who drive our country forward. I’m especially in favour of pay increases for public servants who were seriously let down by the previous government and did fantastic work throughout the pandemic.
This is not an attack on the elderly, it’s trying to balance the books with working people in mind.