[Closed] Just got my Winter Fuel Payment

My father bought a chainsaw with his first one many years ago.
That single payment has kept him warm ever since🤣
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To answer the question though, cocaine is currently around £40-50/gram and hookers are currently £100-200/hour, so around 4/5grams of coke or 1-2hrs with a hooker. This is assuming you live alone and we're born after 27 September 1941, it would be half this if you live with someone who does not qualify for the payment, 50% more than this if you were born before that date. I don't think the payment amounts are any different in different parts of the UK but of course the commodity prices do vary a bit regionally so it's hard to be precise.

Excellent Freakonomics.

Scuse my ignorance, but what's a winter fuel payment??

Scuse my ignorance, but what’s a winter fuel payment??

One-off payment for some folk to help with keeping warm in winter, but that's not important right now. What is important is that Andrewh should immediately take up post as head of the ONS.

Office for National Substances/Sex?

A £40 gramme of coke will not be much use - it will be cut to hell and have all sorts of crap in it.  double that if you want real coke

PSA link to 50% off coke please.
Asking for a friend

Scuse my ignorance, but what’s a winter fuel payment??

It's a benefit paid to every pensioner, rich or poor.
AKA
Poor working folk subsidising rich non working folk.

£100-200 an hour for hookers... Maybe the wife isn't as expensive as i thought !

What is important is that Andrewh should immediately take up post as head of the ONS.

What makes you think he isn't already?

£100-200 an hour for hookers… Maybe the wife isn’t as expensive as i thought !

Must resist open goal.....

in the boarders - an interesting debate tobe had about universal benefits V means tested.  Universal benefits means that everyone gets it even those who do not need it but also that ALL those who need it get it as they do not have to apply.  Those who do not need it a part is clawed back via taxation.  Its also much cheaper to administer

Its a complex arguement and one that I had the biggest ever fight with my missus over! ( I was in favour of means testing)

Its  one of those situations that whichever way yo look at it seems unfair to someone

Poor All working folk subsidising rich all non working folk.

FTFY

All working folk subsidising all non working folk.

the majority of whom paid into the system for many years. I'm quite happy to keep wee Isa warm in the winter.

it will be cut to hell and have all sorts of crap in it.

so, Coke Light or even Coke Zero?

Weeksy... stop.

Those who do not need it a part is clawed back via taxation.

I think you're talking about non-means tested benefits in general, but just to be clear, WFP is non-taxable.

My MIL was a bit bemused when she started to get this, as she really doesn't need it (for now, at least) and felt a bit guilty. She now donates it to the local food bank, which seems like a good solution.

Fair enough Greybeard

All working folk subsidising all non working folk.

IIRC it's only those that earn over about £80k who are actually subsidising others with their taxes 😛

Those who do not need it a part is clawed back via taxation.

WFP isn't taxable.

the majority of whom paid into the system for many years. I’m quite happy to keep wee Isa warm in the winter.

Interesting, so what other benefits are you happy are non-means tested?

And remind us, if most had paid in, how come we've a National Debt (£2T before Covid).

Interesting, so what other benefits are you happy are non-means tested?

for me I have become convinced that universality clawed back via taxation is the way to go.  Call it positive and negative income tax

Interesting, so what other benefits are you happy are non-means tested?

I think non means tested benefits are less likely to be eroded as MPs etc benefit from them. Once you make them means tested, very few 'decision makers' benefit from them, so they're less likely to champion them.

IIRC it’s only those that earn over about £80k who are actually subsidising others with their taxes 😛

More like £40k, but yes by numbers more people are a net loss to the exchequer than those who are a net gain.

Interesting, so what other benefits are you happy are non-means tested?

prescriptions
bus travel for over 60's, under 18's now
uni education (I personally benefited from this)

I'm sure there are more.
I'm in Scotland, there are differences. My tax contribution went up in the not so distant past, meaning I pay a little more than my English colleagues. For all the good of society imo.

And remind us, if most had paid in, how come we’ve a National Debt (£2T before Covid)

Yeah! It's just like I always say to my wife. If you went to Tesco, HOW COME WE'VE RUN OUT OF BISCUITS?

And remind us, if most had paid in, how come we’ve a National Debt (£2T before Covid)

The answer is that we (or rather HMG) has chosen to borrow to spend as it's very cheap to do so. As many governments before have chosen to do so...

Not that high by historic standards either (relative to GDP).

My dad spends his on fuel. For his microlight. That's what its for, right?

The answer is that we (or rather HMG) has chosen to borrow to spend as it’s very cheap to do so.

About 8% of Govt income, at pretty much the lowest interest rates ever - imagine what it'll cost to service as they rise to cover inflation?

And folk who quote how cheap debt is usually forget that they're only referring to the interest payment, not the capital repayment...

https://www.nationaldebtclock.co.uk/
It went up about £30k in the time it took me to copy the link!

ive got black friday codes for coke and hookers if that helps

for me I have become convinced that universality clawed back via taxation is the way to go. Call it positive and negative income tax

It was a founding principle of the welfare state, although it has been under attack in recent decades.

Among the advantages, along with reduced bureaucracy and no arbitrary cutoff, it removes all possible stigma.

There is no stigma in receiving a benefit which everyone receives. It is an undoubted fact that if the winter fuel payment was not automatic many would simply not receive it, including those who might risk dying of hyperthermia quite simply because of the perceived stigma of requesting help.

andrewh up there ^^^ did you get your price information from michael gove or keith vaz?

And folk who quote how cheap debt is usually forget that they’re only referring to the interest payment, not the capital repayment…

Given there is no time limit with which to pay it back, the absolute value is not really something of any real concern, as bonds come up for payment, new ones get issued and the debt is continually refinanced. Given the UK is one of 6 nations who have never defaulted on debt, investors will be happy to buy the new bonds. Previous high levels of national debt (far higher as a ratio of GDP) have been managed and reduced without crippling the country.

Previous high levels of national debt (far higher as a ratio of GDP) have been managed and reduced without crippling the country.

Except now the cost of increasing interest rates would put a seriously huge hole in the budget.