Don’t you think it’s about time they scrapped this? I bet you never expected me to suggest a benefit cut.
I just think that ten quid is a ridiculous sum of money. It really doesn’t help with Christmas. At best you could treat yourself to something small but I’d like to bet that for most people it just gets swallowed up in the weekly budget. At a time when cuts are swinging this is one that I wouldn’t miss. If you add up all the ten pounds, the postage to tell you about it and the administrative costs it would come to a sizeable sum which could be spent on something more meaningful.
If there must be a bonus at least make it means tested. At the moment it’s paid to everyone on DLA for example - I’m sure a lot of people with DLA don’t need a blooming bonus!
Agreed Jane. Should be scrapped. Even for people on means tested benefits. It doesn’t make enough of a difference to anyone and it’s massively expensive. My OH says he’s got no plans how to spend his. Me, I’m going to buy two big tins of Quality Street with mine! Otherwise I’ll just fritter it away!
i agree. i got my letter this morning too. today i am sat here with no heating but at least i am in my house. i am very near carlisle and so will be donating my £10 to them this year-along with jumpers. the ‘help’ people are also desperate for bottled water and underwear. the situation is just beyond belief…
Hi, I’m so relieved that someone has pointed this out, I don’t claim any benefits but even if I felt that I really needed to I would be shocked to think the government would give everybody on DLA/PIP a £10 bonus. I’m sure most claimants would admit that this £10 could be better spent elsewhere and I would think that all of those £10’s add up to a really substantial amount which could go into more research for diseases such as MS, Dementia and a whole host of other conditions.
In Ireland it’s 75% of the weekly payment. They don’t waste money on postage either. It’s just paid directly to your bank if you’re in receipt of a welfare payment. I am very grateful for the payment. I’ll still give something to a charity or donate to a food bank.
Dangerous waters, Jane! If it is OK to means test the DLA bonus because some recipients don’t really need the money (true, I expect), then how to defend against the argument that DLA be means tested in its entirety for exactly the same reason!
That’s a really good point Alison. Either it should be applied only to means tested benefits, or to none. As someone on this thread pointed out, to some people it’s worth much more than to others. But giving the government a big stick to beat us up with (ie. in effect making the argument that DLA should/could be means tested) is not a step forward.
when I suggested means testing I meant that it should only be paid to an income related benefit not that a separate means test should be applied.
My thinking was that it is ludicrous to give £10.00 to people who were on incomes above the level of income related benefits on the grounds that it would make no naffing difference to them. I would gladly give up my £10.00 if it meant that someone in real need could have £20.00
I feel similarly about the winter fuel payment. You get this just by the virtue of being old. It’s paid equally to rich and poor. Lots of poor younger people would benefit greatly from a winter fuel payment but it must make absolutely no difference to wealthy, old recipients.
