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TORIES IN SCOTLAND are refusing to implement means-testing for pensioners in receipt of winter fuel payments.
The Conservative Party election manifesto has stated that the £300 (about €350) annual payment would be means-tested rather than universal for all OAPs.
However, the party’s leader in Scotland, Ruth Davidson, said pensioners in Scotland would not be affected.
She told Sky News: “The reason that we’ve said that is … Scotland has a colder climate. We also have a different amount of housing stock.
“Devolution allows you to make different decisions. I want to use that money in terms of the winter fuel payment. Down south, my colleagues want to put that into the health service.”
Earlier David Mundell, the only Tory MP elected in Scotland in the 2015 general election, told local newspaper The Herald: “The specific view in relation to Scotland is that obviously we have different climatic issues and we have a different geography and there are far more people off-grid, who receive their fuel from not the gas or electricity grid but in terms of liquid gas, for example.
“There is a different backdrop in Scotland in relation to both winter and fuel and that’s why we believe in the Scottish Conservatives it should continue as a universal benefit.”
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The Tories have no problem being cold
@Tweety McTweeter:
Disgusting shower.
@Tweety McTweeter: Another vote for the poor
Means testing any kind of state benefit should be compulsory. You should have to prove you need it.
@Scundered: It’s a payment to pensioners to purchase fuel to survive the cold winter. Not only have these people worked their entire lives and more than deserve such payment, the cost of actually implementing a means test and evaluating it for every pensioner in Scotland would negate any savings to the state.
@Owen Slattery: Millionaires don’t need the payment to survive winter.
@Owen Slattery: not all pensioners have worked. We will have pensioners soon that have never worked a day in their lives.
@Hurt Stoogie: Soon? The layabout culture is not a new concept in Irish society. Off hand I can think of at least 5 men who are now pensioners who in my memory have never done a day work in their lives. The sickening thing is their pension is only a few euro short of a person who has worked his/her ass all their lives.
@Scundered: What is tax 4?
@Scundered: sometimes a benefit like this is a relatively low cost to the state and can often be at such a low bar that the cost of means testing would be prohibitive.
Leo is busy zoning the country by temperature as we speak.
Theresa May thinks that due to global warming pensioners don’t need a winter fuel allowance anymore.
@Chris Kirk: more to the point scots conservatives are scared of losing votes in marginal seats, and are trying to portray themselves as caring and at the same time supporting the rape clause
@Finn Bowe: Very true, Ruth Davidson has no scruples when it comes to backing Theresa May’s government. Scotland would be better off in the long run as an independent country.
@Chris Kirk: this is just the start of little sweeteners to the Scots before the election. Try get a few snp guys out and talks of independence referendum will stall.
It should be means tested. I personally know a couple (close relatives) that bragged that the winter fuel payment had paid for their winter break in the Canaries. These people have a good private pension income, own their home and a holiday home, have an income from a rental property they own, have 3 vehicles in their drive (all under 2 years old and one is a 2017 mercedes) They go on holiday 2 or 3 times a year. Does anyone with any social conscience seriously really think that they need this allowance. Would it not be better if the present budget was allocated to the people who really need this? They may even be able to double the payment amount without it costing the exchequer anything extra. (BTW their house is like a sauna all year round.)
@Colleen Kilbane: afford it or not it’s a stress pensioners can do without, pensioners die from not being able to heat their home, wouldn’t like to be the one who turns down a valid claim
@Colleen Kilbane: when things are a low cost it’s basically setting up a quango situation to means test something that will result in no saving.
It probably to late Evey thing once public own and managed by people who we voted to look after us is now been given to big corporations it all illusion no matter who we vote for we will be given everything but it be all on debt. What we need is to take back control at present our money pays the corporations first councils second then if we lucky we get some of our services which are been squeeze more and more as their salaries go up.
have your say