Winter fuel allowance

[Michael Rolls]

Got £310.05 but now the sods are claiming it back!

[Mups]

Got £310.05 but now the sods are claiming it back!

Why?   What do you mean?  Who told you that?  

[Raven]

Why?   What do you mean?  Who told you that?   

Just what I was wondering.

[GrannyMac]

In Scotland, over 80s get £305.10 as against £300 in the rest of the UK. If a person's income is over £35K it gets clawed back via HMRC.   

https://www.mygov.scot/pension-age-winter-heating-payment

[Mups]

Thanks Granny.  

How ridiculous though,  that it is paid out and then has to be clawed back!
If they know your income,  I wonder why they even pay it in the first place.

[GrannyMac]

You surely don't expect government departments to communicate?  Seems mad, doesn't it.

[Michael Rolls]

Not happy. Ok I am over 35k but hardly rolling

[klondike]

Those on higher incomes in retirement are likely to have paid more into the pot while working. Of course it isn't a pot though - NI is just general taxation disguised as something else to hide the true tax rate.

The real problem is the way it was implemented. If it was decided that the pension was insufficient to pay for winter heating then the pension should have been increased not some ad hoc payment made which must cost extra to administer and worst of all never attracts a cost of living increase despite energy running at way higher rates of inflation than anything else. Had it been a pension increase there is no way it could have been stopped and now clawed back.

Think yourself lucky though Mike - you get to keep your generous £10 pensioners Christmas present and can even spend it how you like although a letter to your MP complaining about the winter fuel allowance would put a serious dent in it.

[GrannyMac]

Not happy. Ok I am over 35k but hardly rolling

I know what you mean Mike.  Now you have carers coming in I hope you are claiming Attendance Allowance?