As many

[victor]

Pensioners wonder about keeping warm or eating our illustrious leader lier starmer is warming himself in sunny Madeira ( paid for by the taxpayer no doubt) where he is being booed by uk tourists.
Especially when queue jumping at tourist attractions.

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[Workingman]

It would be unheard of for the security services of any country to allow their leader to join a 'traditional' queue for any public attraction for security reasons, not just the Starmers. It's just the way things work.

And did the Mail, Express, Spectator or Telegraph check to see if a time slot was booked so that they could be whipped in and out? Of course not - there's no story in that.

It is Starmer's first holiday since becoming PM, and a working one at that. It was also delayed due to the death of his brother on Boxing day and the funeral. Maybe cut him a bit of slack, eh?

[victor]

Actually WM local press say that it is not an official visit and not meeting any govt people.
First holiday ? How many people get a holiday when only 5 months in a job.
Could have holidayed in this country,save the taxpayers a few bob,not that he's interested in doing that.

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[Kaz]

I'm with Frank, give the bloke a chance. Did you point out every jolly that Boris or Sunak went on?

I'm getting sick of the pile onto this very new government, stirred up by the media who are mostly controlled by right-wing oligarchs and the like - they have 14 years of deliberate austerity and corporate greed to unravel. I won't deny that mistakes have been made, but it's very early days indeed.

[Workingman]

How many people get a holiday when only 5 months in a job.

That would be everyone, as accrual of holiday entitlement starts from day one of work. For full time that is 0.54 days holiday per full week worked. Work ten weeks, get the next one off - theoretically.

I never said it was an official visit, I said it was a working holiday as he still has government papers to work at.

Holiday at home to save money? Tens of millions of us fly out of the UK for our holidays because they are cheaper!

[victor]

Well a) doubt if the price concerned him.
b) left Madeira today in his private jet which presumably doesn't affect climate change and the zero he keeps on about

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[TheOstrich]

I'm with Frank, give the bloke a chance.

Hmm ....

[Pauses for reflection]

Nah!

He's taken my Winter Fuel and upped my tax payments.

And you should hear my S on the subject
(She's a WASPI ......)

[cruiser2]

Rachel Reeves said she stopped the Wimter Fuel payment as pensioners willget £400 increase in April 2025.

This is alie. I will not get that much as the rules were changed about ten years ago.
Also the increase will be taxed.

Even if I do not use any more gas or electricity than I di last year the cost will be more as prices have gone up.

So how can I be betterof?

[medsec222]

The annoying thing about claims that pensioners will be better off is the fact that there is a two-tier state pension in place at the moment. Those pensioners retiring after 2016 benefit from the new state pension which is the one that is always quoted when pensioners get a rise in their state pension and usually the impression is given that all pensioners will get this amount. However, the majority of pensioners, which includes most of the older pensioners, will be on the old state pension which can be quite a lot less than the new state pension. As these rises are percentage based, those on the old state pension will fall further behind, and as older pensioners gradually 'die off', the differential will become less of a problem to the government of the day.

[Workingman]

I will not get the Winter Fuel Allowance because I am on the full state pension (post 2016 qualification) but I have not "lost" anything - not a penny. The WFA is an add-on, a bonus, an extra, it was never part of the pension. - and it is still being paid to (many of) the poorest pensioners

Those on the basic state pension get £169.50 per week (pre 2016 claim) but if their total weekly income is below £218.15, single, or £332.95 for a couple they can, and should, claim pension credits. This would put them only £3.05 per week worse off than those of us on the full state pension, but pension credits also open the door to other benefits.

The advice has always been to "claim, claim, claim" yet some 850,000 basic state pensioners fail to do so.