Should pensioner's 'perks' be abolished ?

The rumour mill has it that Osborne is keen to abolish the free travel and winter fuel allowance benefits to pensioners in his attack on welfare.

Would this be a cut too far...and more importantly would the LibDems accept it?

Simon Hughes, the new LibDem party leader, is already warning that curbs to pensioners' benefits could threaten the coalition.

It might just be me but Clegg is already looking a little embarrassed, almost shame-faced, when standing shoulder to shoulder with Cameron to defend the welfare cuts already announced.

The rumour mill has it that Osborne is keen to abolish the free travel and winter fuel allowance benefits to pensioners in his attack on welfare.

 

Would this be a cut too far...and more importantly would the LibDems accept it?

 

Simon Hughes, the new LibDem party leader, is already warning that curbs to pensioners' benefits could threaten the coalition.

 

It might just be me but Clegg is already looking a little embarrassed, almost shame-faced, when standing shoulder to shoulder with Cameron to defend the welfare cuts already announced.

I'd say it was a good idea, in most cases.

I'd say it was a terrible idea - even with the winter fuel allowance last year pensioners still suffered, and without it even more will. Also, there aren't really many other ways of travelling if you can no longer drive, nor afford to get taxi's everywhere.

Pensioners get the best of both worlds - they can afford to run their own car yet also get free bus travel. I would make them choose either one or the other.

Pensioners get the best of both worlds - they can afford to run their own car yet also get free bus travel. I would make them choose either one or the other.

But they get to Bingo faster in a car

The rumour mill has it

Is that the "rumour mill of your mind"?

Like a tunnel that you follow

To a tunnel of it's own

Down a hollow to a cavern

Where the sun has never shone

Like a door that keeps revolving

In a half forgotten dream

Or the ripples from a pebble

Someone tosses in a stream.

Scrapping a £300 winter fuel allowance and raising pension credit by £6 a week will guarantee that only those who actually need it are getting it.

Why not pay the allowances/ give the bus passes only to those who need them?

I wonder how many bus pass holders never (or very rarely) use their passes?

Why not pay the allowances/ give the bus passes only to those who need them?

 

I wonder how many bus pass holders never (or very rarely) use their passes?

Like child benefit, free bus travel and winter fuel allowance should be means tested. We can't afford to be giving free perks to pensioners with thousands in their bank accounts.

Like child benefit, free bus travel and winter fuel allowance should be means tested. We can't afford to be giving free perks to pensioners with thousands in their bank accounts.

The pensioners' perks, at least, can be means tested at just about zero cost since we already have the Pension Credit means-tested.

Means testing child benefit would probably cost more in administration than it saved in benefit not paid out. It used to be taxable and that was abolished for the same reason.