[Margaret Pilkington]

You know these benefits are talked of as if we, the pensioner, is being given somethig for nothing.
That is not the case. I paid for my pension by contributions over my working life. I pay for my bus pass and my winter heating allowance with my taxes...yes, I still pay taxes on my pension.
If pensioners were allotted(I have avoided the use of 'given' as this benefit has been earned) a pension which reflected how much it costs to live, then bus passes and Winter heating allowances would not be required.