ADVICE: WINTER FUEL ALLOWANCE

[Ray Scully]

About this time of the year, older taxpayers will again be receiving another 'Winter Fuel' payment.
This is indeed a very exciting programme and I'll explain it by using a Q & A format:

Q. What is a 'Winter Fuel' payment ?
A. It is money the government will send to taxpayers.

Q. Where will the government get this money ?
A. From taxpayers.

Q. So the government is giving me back my own money ?
A. Only a smidgen of it.

Q. What is the purpose of this payment ?
A. The plan is for you to use the money to purchase gas and electricity...or a high-definition TV set, thus stimulating the economy.

Q. But isn't that stimulating the economy of China ?
A. Shut up.

Below is some helpful advice on how to best help the U.K. Economy by spending your 'Winter Fuel' cheque wisely:

* If you spend the money at Asda or Tesco, the money will go to China , Taiwan or Sri Lanka

* If you spend it on petrol your money will go to the Arabs

* If you purchase a computer it will go to India , Taiwan or China

* If you purchase fruit and vegetables it will go to Mexico , Honduras and Guatemala
If you buy an efficient car it will go to Japan or Korea

* If you purchase useless stuff it will go to Taiwan

* If you pay off your credit cards or buy shares, it will go to management bonuses and they will hide it offshore.

Instead, keep the money in the UK by:
1. Spending it at car boot sales
2. Going to night clubs
3. Spending it on prostitutes
4. Buying beer or whisky
5. Getting yourself a Tattoo
6. Visiting a bookie
(These are the only UK businesses still operating in the U.K. )

Conclusion: Be patriotic - go to a night club with a tattooed prostitute that you met at a car boot sale and drink beer day and night !

No need to thank me...just glad I could be of help.

Ray

[david63]

On a point of order - it is not necessarily taxpayers who get the Winter Fuel Allowance - it is anyone over the qualifying age (which used to be 60 - but that has probably changed!)

[Dark Knight]

you forgot to mention all the ex pats who get even though they all bogged off to warmer climes
and all the chavs grannies in Benidorm who get it as well

[Silver_Shiney]

you forgot to mention all the ex pats who get even though they all bogged off to warmer climes
and all the chavs grannies in Benidorm who get it as well

That really gets my goat. If Passport Control can detect the passage of undesirables, surely it is a small matter to tweak the system to detect the passage of recipients of this allowance to withhold it if they are away for more than a week or so?

[Manoverboard]

Point of order - 2

Our Winter Fuel Allowance is spent on logs, no way would Mr Chew give me a free delivery so I got them from a ( tree ) feller in Darzet.



ps ... I thought that those who live in Spain did NOT get it but thought that they should.

[davecttr]

I give mine to P&O, via the onboard casino. They give it to their shareholders, of which I am one.

If anyone suggests I should not have it just remember I have a vote and always use it.

ps those in spain do get it but only if they claimed it before they fled the UK. EU law now says member states can't treat their citizens differently just because they live in another country. This means the expats can claim the allowance even if they did not claim before they left the UK. The government thrashed around and proposed that as Spain etc was a hot country they could not have the allowance. An ex pat responded by saying where they lived in the Spanish mountains it was colder in the winter than the UK.

Meanwhile the jury is still out.

[Delboy]

Conclusion: Be patriotic - go to a night club with a tattooed prostitute that you met at a car boot sale and drink beer day and night !

No need to thank me...just glad I could be of help.

Ray

If this is how you wish to spend yours Ray, good luck.

Just a small point, a high % of those who receive this benefit, are non taxpayers, their income not being sufficient, especially those who have to rely on a government pension.

Enjoy your night at the club.

[Gill W]

Mr Gill is getting his fuel allowance for the first time this year.

He'll be 62 on Sunday.

He is eligible as a woman the same age as him would already get a state pension.

We will be spending it on ...... Fuel.

[Mervyn and Trish]

you forgot to mention all the ex pats who get even though they all bogged off to warmer climes
and all the chavs grannies in Benidorm who get it as well

That really gets my goat. If Passport Control can detect the passage of undesirables, surely it is a small matter to tweak the system to detect the passage of recipients of this allowance to withhold it if they are away for more than a week or so?

From most of what I see they can't detect the passage of undesirables!!!

[haveabeer]

spend mine on Coal and logs and very grateful to all those that have contributed

[Kendhni]

As usual I am a net contributor to this rather than a net receiver .. and when it comes to my turn to be a net receiver then the only thing that is guaranteed will be that it will be means tested and I will not be eligible for it.

[haveabeer]

Winter fuel payment is not means tested so you
Will be ok for that if it's still in operation which I would think not likely

[sumdumbloke]

As usual I am a net contributor to this rather than a net receiver .. and when it comes to my turn to be a net receiver then the only thing that is guaranteed will be that it will be means tested and I will not be eligible for it.

I'm afraid that if you're of core working age now (ie not about to retire in next few years) then you are squarely in the losing generation. You are required to fund historically generous schemes for today's retirees but will see ever shrinking returns when it's your turn; even the means tested support will be at levels today thought unthinkably austere.

The only consolation is the next generation will have it even worse.

[Kendhni]

As usual I am a net contributor to this rather than a net receiver .. and when it comes to my turn to be a net receiver then the only thing that is guaranteed will be that it will be means tested and I will not be eligible for it.

I'm afraid that if you're of core working age now (ie not about to retire in next few years) then you are squarely in the losing generation. You are required to fund historically generous schemes for today's retirees but will see ever shrinking returns when it's your turn; even the means tested support will be at levels today thought unthinkably austere.

The only consolation is the next generation will have it even worse.

That very sadly, is my perception as well.
However they expect that in the near future the 'next' generation is going to turn around and say 'no, we are not going to subsidise the previous generations any more'.

[davecttr]

Us old wrinklies do have votes though. Plus are more likely to vote than youngsters.

[haveabeer]

I have worked from the age off 15 up till 65 in that time i had 5 jobs only once claimed the dole for 6 weeks so i reckon i paid my dues so i will take any thing that is offered to me
i was happy to pay into the system and continue to do so but not so much.

[ChesterfieldJohn]

I have worked from the age off 15 up till 65 in that time i had 5 jobs only once claimed the dole for 6 weeks so i reckon i paid my dues so i will take any thing that is offered to me
i was happy to pay into the system and continue to do so but not so much.

I agree completely.
Worked part time from 14 and full time from 16.

Paid my share about time I got something back.
John

[Delboy]

However they expect that in the near future the 'next' generation is going to turn around and say 'no, we are not going to subsidise the previous generations any more'.

I am happy, because I would have a bet it will not be happening in my life time. I have certainly paid my share having worked from the age of fifteen to sixty seven and a half.

[Kendhni]

However they expect that in the near future the 'next' generation is going to turn around and say 'no, we are not going to subsidise the previous generations any more'.

I am happy, because I would have a bet it will not be happening in my life time. I have certainly paid my share having worked from the age of fifteen to sixty seven and a half.

Not sure about that Delboy ... if you expect to be around in about 10-15 years you will witness the start of the change. Many who thought they had prepared adequately for retirement or who are already retired (especially on final salary schemes that they have not paid for) may well find their pensions will become a fraction of what they expected (or are currently used to) ... it is already happening in some countries.

It is a sad situation but we cannot expect the next generation to pay for the debt we have accrued, an unmaintainable welfare system, unfunded pensions and also try to create/fund lives for themselves. The age of 'entitlement' and 'greed' is dying and that has both good and bad ramifications for us all.

[david63]

How about having a scheme where the Government puts some money on one side for a "rainy day" - that way when there is a recession it would not hit as hard.


... oh yes I remember - we did that once and the previous Government squandered it.

[Manoverboard]

I have paid my dues over the years as well and will be marching on Downing Street should they start to tinker with my hard earned entitlements.

ps ... they could however keep their £10 Xmas Bonus and maybe also Tax my WFA at 10%, else reduce it by an equivelent value, without too much agro.

[Kendhni]

I have paid my dues over the years as well

That is an argument that we are hearing more and more and at times I wonder if it actually is totally valid.
In relation to how much people take out of the system versus how much they put in there is obviously a significant misbalance (hence our debt).

To be fair though I think it is a valid argument that if you have contributed based on promises you should have those promises upheld ... even if they were based on false or unrealistic premises. However, the bottom line is that if those that ultimately have to fund the shortfalls decide they are not going to then the promises become worthless .. so you may find the next generation has already marched on Downing Street saying they cannot afford to pay for those who failed to make adequate provision for themselves ... your march is more likely to be about holding out the begging bowl.

[haveabeer]

when i started work in the sixties there was no company pension scheme we where told that we paid NI and stamp to pay for our future health and all the services plus ou Old age pension.
As time went by probably in the 80s i inquired about a private pension i just could not afford it with bringing up a family.
So i saved from my earnings as much as i could afford
Seems to me that successive governments have over the years introduced so many tax credits, increased child benefit, child care, so making it more profitable to stay at home now i dont see that as greed infact you where encouraged to take these benefits as right.
We had the dole money one payment and that was it, it was to support you enough but not enough to stay at home you went looking for work.
i believe a lot of our problems started when we opened the borders to anyone we where and still are a soft touch and until this is addressed the problems will remain
I have never been interested in politics i believe that they say one thing and do the opposite they are over paid and full of self importance but that is my own view

[Manoverboard]

I have paid my dues over the years as well

That is an argument that we are hearing more and more and at times I wonder if it actually is totally valid.
In relation to how much people take out of the system versus how much they put in there is obviously a significant misbalance (hence our debt) ...

I, we, have taken virtually zilch out the system.

Having made sacrifices and taken care to provide for our retirement over many years I do NOT expect to get skinned by the Government reneging on their promises ... a meagre State Pension and a few logs basically.

[Kendhni]

I have paid my dues over the years as well

That is an argument that we are hearing more and more and at times I wonder if it actually is totally valid.
In relation to how much people take out of the system versus how much they put in there is obviously a significant misbalance (hence our debt) ...

I, we, have taken virtually zilch out the system.

Not true
- born (NHS?)
- educated
- transport system/road network
- waste management
- street lighting
- pension
- public areas
- policing/armed forces
- etc. etc.
The question is whether or not our personal contributions will have covered the costs of this ... I would have thought that most people who have been in full time employment will have covered these costs (and more) ... but will they continue to cover them from cradle to grave?

Having made sacrifices and taken care to provide for our retirement over many years I do NOT expect to get skinned by the Government reneging on their promises ... a meagre State Pension and a few logs basically.

It will not be the government 'skinning' you .. it will be the next generation who cannot afford to subsidise their parents shortfalls ... forcing the government to make changes.