Tag Archives: winter fuel payment

Opinion: Just 0.001% of pensioners hand back their Winter Fuel Payment

By Stuart Bonar | Mon 29th April 2013 - 5:35 pm

Interviewed by the Sunday Telegraph, Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith urged wealthy pensioners who do not need the universal benefits they receive to hand them back to the State.

What he didn’t say in that interview, or at least it isn’t reported, is that pensioners are able currently to inform the Government they do not want to receive, for example, the Winter Fuel Payment (WFP). Some already have, but do you know how many? I got hold of the numbers last week thanks to the Freedom of Information Act.

Over 12.6 million people receive the WFP, …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged universal benefits | 15 Comments

Opinion: A Liberal idea for welfare reform

By David Thorpe | Sat 6th August 2011 - 9:53 am

Its not often an article which seeks to promote the Liberal agenda gets to use Alan Sugar and Peter Stringfellow as case studies.
But the millionaire duo, are, through no fault of their own, examples of all that is wrong with the approach successive governments have taken to welfare provision.

As Lord Sugar explains, he receives, despite never having applied for it, the winter fuel allowance available to all people over the age of 60.

The businessman even explains that he subsequently spent more than an hour on the phone trying to give the money back, only to be told that he …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged alan sugar, peter stringfellow and william beveridge | 35 Comments

Clegg gets specific on cuts: Lib Dems to cut winter fuel payments for under-65s

By Stephen Tall | Mon 22nd March 2010 - 10:10 pm

So reports the BBC:

The Liberal Democrats have said if they won power they would stop the winter fuel allowance for people under 65. Anyone aged 60 can claim the allowance, worth £125 to £400, but the minimum age is due to rise to 65 in 10 years’ time.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said his party would implement the change now – saving about £400m in public spending. He said just under £200m would be used to give extra winter help to about one million severely disabled people or those who are terminally ill. …

Mr Clegg told the BBC his plan

…

Posted in News | Also tagged child benefit, nick clegg, universal benefits and vince cable | 19 Comments