OLD PEOPLE

[bobbie22]

I have been reading about some think tank that think that elderly people with a spare room should be 'encouraged' to leave and move to smaller accommodation. Or possibly 'be taxed' out so that young people can have somewhere to live. What I want to know is how will young people be able to afford to buy our houses which we have worked for all our lives?
I also read that they are considering checking driving skills for older people.
Also, is it true that they are cutting our Winter Fuel Allowance. ?
What is going on? Should we all jump in the river?

[giveup]

How about a March of the Wild Wrinklies

[gingejbee]

Winter fuel allowance: £400 down to £300 and £250 down to £200.

[giveup]

Did'nt know that.

[Barmaid]

lmao, I am thinking that I pity the poor guy who has to tell my grandad this. (He might be 87, but I wouldn't mess with him). Frankly, if I were that person, I would resign rather than face the wrath of grandad (which even me and mum prefer not to see - and she's damn scary too).

[bobbie22]

Easy targets

[gingejbee]

..oh, and that's THIS winter, btw.

[bobbie22]

Not your Grandad Barmaid, just old people in general

[Barmaid]

lol, I know Bobbie, but I can just imagine His reaction! It won't be pretty or pleasant!

[boxtops]

The WFA only went up from £200 last year.

[Craftypig]

How dare anyone suggest that elderly people be taxed out of their homes, looks like another scapegoat scenario for a constant lack of forward thinking from government after government to the housing crisis.

[ladybirder]

Gordon Brown put it up but warned it was only temporary.

[bobbie22]

If they tax us out of homes, are they going to pay the full market price? I think its talk at the moment, but where there's smoke........

[ummmm]

I thought they just meant council houses. Not privately owned.

[boxtops]

I think they just meant council property, too. One person living in a three bed house is not cost effective for the public purse, especially when we are paying for families to live in B&B.

[bobbie22]

I had £250 in 2008, 2009 and 2010. (Have kept all the paper work)

[seadogg]

Dont care much for the checking driving skills bit! Fair enough if some old person makes a major error as it might be health related but most of us are defensive drivers as we know our reaction time is not what it was.

[ladybirder]

Soz to interrupt but good programme on at mo. John Humphrys on BBC2 how about Welfare Benefits, he's in Middlesbrough at moment.

[Postdog]

It's a crafty government plan - let the old die of cold then it free's up the houses.

[bobbie22]

Thanks for the comments. Apart from the WHA, maybe the rest is all talk??? Hope so

[LoftyLottie]

Bobbie is right. I too have seen a TV programme and read that elderly people who are living in their own homes (private homes) should be encouraged to move to smaller accommodation so that young people with growing families can move in. They were talking about it on breakfast television the other morning.

This is a different issue to that of moving into smaller council housing.