Chancellor's hand-outs

[Michael Rolls]

A letter in Tuesday's paper I liked.

The only hand-out I want from the Chancellor is his hand out of my pocket

Mike

    

[klondike]

Classic 

[Alex]

      

[crabbyob]

so how much are us poor pensioners getting this year,,,,
a friend asked me the temp here yesterday at about 4.30pm i checked it was 34c... if i got a few bob more i could have the A/C on day and night 

[klondike]

Extras for all pensioners are 
£400 credit to your energy provider (everybody gets that not just pensioners)
£150 rebate from council tax  (everybody gets that too not just pensioners)
£300 payment to pensioners

Extras but I don't know what they are if also on pension credit.
I think they are all reduced pro rata for how long you aren't in the country.

[crabbyob]

well thats no good, i already get the £300... i am hopping to be just over two months in the country, thats long enough to catch 'stuff'...lol....
i have to rush my dinner tonite to get home for Wales... Scotland under 21's are on before it but to watch it i would have to miss my dinner, i might catch the final half hour but they are playing Belgium, by the way my sons over there on a scooter rally, that is if his Lambretta made it as far as the ferry...lol... aint life wonderful.

[Michael Rolls]

I thought the council tax rebate was only for houses in bands A-D - no?

[klondike]

I think it was now you mention it. My place isn't posh enough to be excluded and I forgot that.

[Raven]

[GrannyMac]

well thats no good, i already get the £300... i am hopping to be just over two months in the country, thats long enough to catch 'stuff'...lol....
i have to rush my dinner tonite to get home for Wales... Scotland under 21's are on before it but to watch it i would have to miss my dinner, i might catch the final half hour but they are playing Belgium, by the way my sons over there on a scooter rally, that is if his Lambretta made it as far as the ferry...lol... aint life wonderful.

You'll still get your Winter Fuel Allowance, the £300 for pensioners is extra to that. 

[crabbyob]

i am quite happy if i get non of them Granny, i realise that lots of folks are struggling, and think boris and co are doing well to recognise this and think he would be wise to look at the roots because lots of his schoolmates will be adding to their millions... what percentage of our gas is imported?... a very low percent, yet you are being charged top dollar, mind you i dont doubt that the govt will be getting VAT on that top dollar....
and then of course there are the allowances being paid to the migrants, i bet they will be getting a rise in their allowances...

[GrannyMac]

Well crabbyob, as a pensioner who has to be reasonably careful, I'm pleased to get the extra.

[crabbyob]

Yes Granny, and thats what these benefits are for, to help those in the [need to be careful bracket]
what devastates me is when i hear the pensions France Germany and Spain get, then consider for how many years we subsidised them...

[GrannyMac]

Yes Granny, and thats what these benefits are for, to help those in the [need to be careful bracket]
what devastates me is when i hear the pensions France Germany and Spain get, then consider for how many years we subsidised them...

The sensible, and fair solution would be to raise the basic pension, clawback would then be via taxation, rather than means testing.  So many of the independent, older generation just don't claim, and another sizeable number are just a few quid over.  A decent basic income in old age in one of the richest countries in the world? Why not?

[Michael Rolls]

perish the thought - how would Chancellors pass the time with no convoluted benefits system to play with?
Mike