"Nightjar" wrote in message
...
On 14/02/2013 20:39, Roger Mills wrote:
On 14/02/2013 13:13, Nightjar wrote:
On 14/02/2013 11:40, David WE Roberts wrote:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/31778

Petition against the removal of additional tax allowances for
pensioners.

Vote early, vote often :-)

If you are canvassing for votes against the removal of additional tax
allowances, it might be a good idea to explain why you think that the
increase in personal allowances for those over 65 does not adequately
compensate for them.

Colin Bignell


I agree. I suppose some would argue that this doesn't maintain the
differential between pensioners and non-pensioners. But I'm not sure
exactly what the case for a differential is.

Personally, I'd rather have it as an increased personal allowance for
everyone. That way, it doesn't get clawed back when my total pension
income exceeds a certain threshold.

I would also support means testing things like bus passes and winter
fuel allowance. Not so sure about prescriptions and eye test. Older
people tend to have a greater need for these. Free dental treatment
would be good, too.

I suspect that means testing bus passes would probably cost more than it
saves. They are a bit of a novelty when you first get them, after which
the disadvantages of using public transport outweigh the benefits of using
it for free, so it is probable that only those who really need them
actually use them to any extent. I wouldn't miss the winter fuel
allowance, but again, I'm not sure that a lot of the claimed savings from
means testing it would not just go into administering the scheme.

Prescriptions might as well be free for everybody; only 10% of people
actually pay for them and I rather doubt that covers the administrative
costs of collecting the fees and checking that people claiming exemption
are actually entitled to it.

No-one checks, it's self policed and your chances of being caught if you lie
are minimal

tim