40 Reasons to Vote Labour

REASON 39
PENSIONERS'
WINTER FUEL ALLOWANCE
A great fuss was made that the payments of winter fuel allowances to all
pensioners was wasteful with even the best off pensioners receiving the
payments.
The suggestion from the conservatives has been to means test this benefit
only paying it to those pensioners most in need. Strangely this comes from
a party that advocates the mythical trickle down economy (that must be
their magical money tree) who you might expect to make rich pensioners
richer.
But the real reasons why I and Labour believe this benefit should be
universal are:
a) Many pensioners, even those quite well off, are afraid of the impact of
higher fuel bills in the winter - that results in keeping the heating off or
down as long as possible and that causes real suffering, illness and even
unnecessary deaths. The payments actually deliver greater peace of mind
for the pensioners and their families worth far more than the few pounds
they cost
b) for a small payment of this type the cost of means testing doesn't result
in any significant saving in overall costs
c) some pensioners who are badly off are likely to lose out simply through
not wanting, or knowing how, to go through the means testing process
Basic human compassion ought to dictate that complicating the system
and trying to reduce its cost are simply a step too far for our austerity
mad government; but they aren't to high on compassion levels are they?.
VOTE LABOUR TO PREVENT THE NEEDLESS,
UNCOMPASSIONATE AND FRANKLY UNNECESSARY
ATTACK ON OUR PENSIONERS.