Red Cross Food Campaign in Struggling UK

[boyfriday]

It won't if they stop overseas aid, then the Red Cross wouldn't need food banks.

 

I'm guessing you chose to disregard my reply to you?

[Ms Macbeth]

oh you do make me laugh :hihi::hihi:

 

 

 

That's the crux of this or any suggestions with most kinds of benefit distribution. Means testing DOES seem to be the best way, until you start to look further into it.

 

Pension Credit is the obvious example for this analogy - means tested, and currently available to 4 million old people, yet not claimed by over 1 million. The reasons for not claiming I'm not sure without looking further into it. Should this be the same for the winter payment, it would probably mean the most vulnerable could miss out on it. Which pretty much would make the entire plan work against its intention.

 

To an extent the 'not claiming' is a generational thing. Some older people still hate the thought of means testing.

 

I''m a pensioner and I dislike Pension Credit. I believe it would have been much fairer to raise the basic pension (as is now planned for future pensioners) as those with large incomes would just pay a bit more tax. No means testing would make it easy (and cheaper) to administer, and no-one falls through the gaps. The winter fuel allowance could be added into the basic pension, again the wealthier pensioners would be taxed on it. Apart from the million or so who don't claim, there are untold numbers who just have enough income to take them marginally over the limit. A higher basic pension would have really benefited them.

 

I haven't been able to find any demographics, but I think its unlikely that many pensioners use foodbanks. If they don't claim what they are entitled to, then its unlikely they'd want charity.

[Glennis]

This is about elderly dying as a result of not being able to afford heating.

 

it seems we have quite a few members who don't seem to care about our own needy.

 

My point entirely, if you cannot afford to heat your house properly, you are going to be more susceptible to illness, and more likely to die - especially elderly people. Its hardly rocket science!

[Obelix]

To an extent the 'not claiming' is a generational thing. Some older people still hate the thought of means testing.

 

I''m a pensioner and I dislike Pension Credit. I believe it would have been much fairer to raise the basic pension (as is now planned for future pensioners) as those with large incomes would just pay a bit more tax. No means testing would make it easy (and cheaper) to administer, and no-one falls through the gaps. The winter fuel allowance could be added into the basic pension, again the wealthier pensioners would be taxed on it. Apart from the million or so who don't claim, there are untold numbers who just have enough income to take them marginally over the limit. A higher basic pension would have really benefited them.

 

I haven't been able to find any demographics, but I think its unlikely that many pensioners use foodbanks. If they don't claim what they are entitled to, then its unlikely they'd want charity.

 

Thie above is why the WFA is awarded to all of course.

 

A better way - at the chance of annoying a lot of people would be as follows...

 

Require all fuel companies to supply account details of those who are pensioners (or match them up to pension records).

 

Generate a list of those means tested - perhaps by tax records - any pensioner with an income above teh threshhold doesnt need the allowance.

 

Pay the allowance direct into the fuel account.

 

It'll work fine. Political suicide though one suspects.

[Peer Gynt]

My point entirely, if you cannot afford to heat your house properly, you are going to be more susceptible to illness, and more likely to die - especially elderly people. Its hardly rocket science!

 

Thank you for your decent response, it would seem that we have some very callous members on here.

[truman]

Require all fuel companies to supply account details of those who are pensioners (or match them up to pension records).

 

 

How would an energy company know who all their pensioner customers were?

[Peer Gynt]

5% net for most.

 

No different to any other big company really.

 

They make £100 net profit off every customer. I'm happy with paying £100 profit to a company that positively afffects something in my every day life (i.e. hot water and heating) (well, my heating is bust at the mo, but no fault of energy company!)

 

Strange isn't it that the chancellor claimed in an interview that the Chinese were investing in our energy market due to the lucrative returns on their investments.

But you know that it isn't true they're really investing to provide cheap fuel for pensioners aren't they.

 

No doubt you'll be happy when the Red Cross open soup kitchens whilst the Chines rake in the profits from Shale Fracking soon to start with their noses in the trough with the rest of the wealthy.

 

---------- Post added 14-10-2013 at 11:00 ----------

 

How would an energy company know who all their pensioner customers were?

 

You are joking aren't you? Please tell us you are.

[Obelix]

How would an energy company know who all their pensioner customers were?

 

Ones that are on the social tariffs that already exist would be a good idea - a lot of the companies ask so they can prioritisie help in case of an extended outage. My parents for example were given a Calor heater last year when the gas was off for four days when a main was repaired....

[*_ash_*]

Thie above is why the WFA is awarded to all of course.

 

A better way - at the chance of annoying a lot of people would be as follows...

 

Pay the allowance direct into the fuel account.

 

It'll work fine. Political suicide though one suspects.

 

The report earlier suggested one reason for not changing things massively is the threat of political suicide, which despite the peer gynt's on the forum not understanding, it has to be considered by whoever suggests it.

 

One thing it did highlight is that 49% of the WFP is spent on fuel bills, the rest is split on various things, which amongst others include spending money on other means of staying warm, for example using taxis to go places, and spending time socialising in cafes/pubs. If this is to believed and seen as a good thing, which if true, I do, then a direct payment to a company would stop this. Personally, I don't like the idea of direct payment to the fuel companies becuase I think it's an easy way for for fuel companies to fleece the money somehow. For example having a pension tariff type thing which is actually more expensive with complicating rules.

 

 

Strange isn't it that the chancellor claimed in an interview that the Chinese were investing in our energy market due to the lucrative returns on their investments.

But you know that it isn't true they're really investing to provide cheap fuel for pensioners aren't they.

 

No doubt you'll be happy when the Red Cross open soup kitchens whilst the Chines rake in the profits from Shale Fracking soon to start with their noses in the trough with the rest of

 

5% is a lucrative net profit.

 

Care to answer anything than just keep changing the subject? My links showed you what you thought I couldn't show you. Simple.

 

'No doubt I'll be happy when there are soup kitchens?' What are you on about? Are you going to answer my earlier point about the red cross?

 

'No doubt' the answer to all these will be bypassed as usual.

 

And stop using that loopy smiley at me.

[boyfriday]

My point entirely, if you cannot afford to heat your house properly, you are going to be more susceptible to illness, and more likely to die - especially elderly people. Its hardly rocket science!

 

But the elderly aren't in a position where they're unable to heat their properties properly unless they live in properties which are far larger than they need

 

---------- Post added 14-10-2013 at 16:59 ----------

 

Thank you for your decent response, it would seem that we have some very callous members on here.

 

..and others who are incapable of forming a compelling argument.