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Old 21-05-2017, 14:33   #255
Exile on Spencer St
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Re: General Election called

Quote:
Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington View Post
On the subject of the Winter Fuel payment...They were not using it to pay for their heating bills, the conversation I overheard told me that this money was going to be used for Christmas presents
This whole issue is a microcosm of what's wrong with politics and a manic 24/7 media desperate to create headlines, not disseminate facts.
The initial 'winter' fuel benefit was the cold weather payment, which still exists, and is £25 to certain benefit recipients, including pensioners, every time the temperature is 0 degrees for 7 days between November and March.
Then along comes Gordon Brown and creates another benefit, the Winter Fuel Allowance, as a bribe to older voters, and gives it without reference to whether or not everyone needs it, or if the weather warrants it. It's also not paid to pensioners but to anyone over 60.
This is standard Labour policy as they don't want people to be self-reliant but want everyone to have some government payment/handout, so they have a compliant electorate with something to lose. Vote for me and I'll save your benefit!
Being human, we gobble up this largesse from our masters but, as others have said, there is no free lunch and if, as we are repeatedly told, we need to pour every more money into the bottomless pit that is the NHS, something needs to give.
And being one of those who receives the Winter Fuel Allowance, I'm quite resigned to losing it and putting on a jumper if it every drops below freezing.
Rant over, the sun is out again.
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