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Winter Fuel Payments for pensioners on 52k per year, Is Our welfare system out of touch?

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    #122
    JVince
    Registered Users Posts: 930 ✭✭✭JVince


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058315499/winter-fuel-payments-for-pensioners-on-52k-per-year-is-our-welfare-system-out-of-touch

    That family of 4 would be entitled to about €200 a week Working Family Payment. They'd also have full medical cards and assuming 2 children they'd have school clothing allowance and plenty of other benefits too. But most of all they'd have an incentive to work rather than be on social welfare

    BTW the married pensioners on 52k will be paying about €3000 tax and also one day you will be a pensioner and be glad of the scheme if your total pension is 26k or less



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    #123
    Anaki r2d2
    Registered Users Posts: 920 ✭✭✭Anaki r2d2


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122176995#Comment_122176995

    what would you prefer? That they squander every last penny they have on drink and drugs during their working life. Then soley rely on the state in retirement?



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    #124
    ELM327
    Registered Users Posts: 21,792 ✭✭✭✭ELM327


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122176995#Comment_122176995

    I suppose the PRSI they paid during their careers just vanished?
    (Yes I know it's paying for the pensions of those who retired when they were working, but you understand the notion of contribution)



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    #125
    Hotblack Desiato
    Registered Users Posts: 34,508 ✭✭✭✭Hotblack Desiato


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122177061#Comment_122177061

    The state pays them the same either way.

    The only difference is giving a very generous (more generous to top rate taxpayers than lower) tax break to relatively or quite well off people.

    Post edited by Hotblack Desiato on

    Fingal County Council are certainly not competent to be making decisions about the most important piece of infrastructure on the island. They need to stick to badly designed cycle lanes and deciding on whether Mrs Murphy can have her kitchen extension.



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    #126
    AndrewJRenko
    Registered Users Posts: 28,845 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122176218#Comment_122176218

    They avoided paying tax on it by putting it into a pension fund, enjoying considerable growth on the tax free amount, and benefiting from the many tax breaks for older people when they come to draw down the income in retirement. They could be drawing it down from age 50, if they've left the employment in question, making it a legal, transparent tax avoidance scheme.

    And yes, I've availed of that tax relief too, you'd be a fool not to. That doesn't make it right.



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    #127
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,553 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    The Winter Fuel Payment is a means tested benefit. If you qualify, then that is OK.

    However, means tests vary, depending on the benefit - and it is a political decision how they play out. I would like to see the means tests revised to make them more evenly spaced so it is not a case of get one and you get all, but miss one and you miss them all.

    I would like to see Child Benefit raised by 60% and subject to income tax as income. It would those on the highest tax of 40% would still get the current amount, while those that do not pay tax and have children will get 60% extra. This would have a massive effect on child poverty.



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    #128
    zell12
    Registered Users Posts: 24,312 ✭✭✭✭zell12


    income increase for those in employment is 1.8% for 2023/24. By contrast, many of those in ­receipt of welfare payments are ­comparatively better off. The 157,000 people on disability allowances will get a net increase in incomes of 3.8%, as will the 146,000 on Jobseeker’s Allowance.

    https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/people-on-welfare-see-incomes-increase-by-higher-rate-than-those-in-employment-oireachtas-study-shows/a389737558.html



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