Cost of Living Payment

[Aruntraveller]

I received a letter today, as did my partner, informing us that we are both entitled to a cost of living payment of £250.

I can't have been paying attention as I hadn't realised this was due to me as a pensioner.

It got me thinking about the cost of this. Every pensioner is due this payment. The latest figure I can find for the number of pensioners in the UK is close to 12 million. This means that (if my sums are correct) 3 billion will have been spent on this.

I'm not going to turn it down (obviously) given the money this inept government has squandered elsewhere, but I have to be honest and say I am not in need of it, and I do feel the money could have been better targeted to those most in need.

So is this a genuine attempt to help, or a bribe to keep Tory voters happy, or just further financial incontinence? (I realise those options are not mutually exclusive)

[Nearly Sane]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63543805

[jeremyp]

I received a letter today, as did my partner, informing us that we are both entitled to a cost of living payment of £250.

I can't have been paying attention as I hadn't realised this was due to me as a pensioner.

It got me thinking about the cost of this. Every pensioner is due this payment. The latest figure I can find for the number of pensioners in the UK is close to 12 million. This means that (if my sums are correct) 3 billion will have been spent on this.

I'm not going to turn it down (obviously) given the money this inept government has squandered elsewhere, but I have to be honest and say I am not in need of it, and I do feel the money could have been better targeted to those most in need.

So is this a genuine attempt to help, or a bribe to keep Tory voters happy, or just further financial incontinence? (I realise those options are not mutually exclusive)

You may not need it, but I'm sure there are many people who do. If you don't want it, you can always do what my parents do with their annual heating allowance, which is donate it to an appropriate charity.

[Udayana]

...

So is this a genuine attempt to help, or a bribe to keep Tory voters happy, or just further financial incontinence? (I realise those options are not mutually exclusive)

These payments were part of the plan announced in May this year, IIRC, mostly funded by energy company windfall taxes. The government can't even steal Labour ideas without turning them into a confusing mess.     

[Aruntraveller]

You may not need it, but I'm sure there are many people who do. If you don't want it, you can always do what my parents do with their annual heating allowance, which is donate it to an appropriate charity.

I'm aware some will need it. I'm just questioning the rationale behind the blanket application of this allowance. I had intended to donate the money at some point.

[jeremyp]

I'm aware some will need it. I'm just questioning the rationale behind the blanket application of this allowance. I had intended to donate the money at some point.

I agree it should have been means tested but that does have a political cost.

[Nearly Sane]

I agree it should have been means tested but that does have a political cost.

Yesh, and a real cost to people if it isn't done correctly, and despite much wittering, not seen a suggestion that would not cause issues.