Long time absent

 Not sure anyone ever read anything I wrote but just thought so much is going on that perhaps I should put my thoughts down before they are gone. Sometimes verything I read makes me feel frustrated, there is such a lack of thought in so much discussion. Perhaps discussion is the wrong word to choose so much discussion seems merely to be two people making statements but no attempt to engage with what the other person is saying.  A bad habit I developed was to call people stupid when they said things which  clearly seemed wrong. But perhaps it is the failure to think it is peoples unwillingness to think pass the first thought. 

An example might clarify what I am trying to say. Governments are fond of trying to change peoples or companies behaviour by taxation. The second question should always be how will the tax be avoided or exploited! Never have I noticed this being discussed but it should be considered as part of the intial thinking.

There has been much discussion of the cuts in the winter fuel payments, let me be clear this was the correct decision. essentially it was increasing the state pension by £300. If you pay your fuel bill monthly the payment can be the same each month so there is no increase in the winter so should I bve paid the £300 in 12 monthly instalments. The policy was badly introduced but also it was a all ore nothing cut. There was no attempt to reduce the amount as the income went up, if you received pension tex credit you got the payment otherwise you did not. If you had £10 more that the linit you lost £300. Such sharp divisions lead to situations which are clearly seen as unfiar.

A similar situation applies to carers allowance, earn £1 more than the limit then you lose all you carers allowance. The system could just reduce the allowance by the amount you earn, or perhspas even 50% so taht the system would not be so draconian. This is just a simple idae which would make the system much more fair and reduce the ridiculous situation where being paid £1 too much can lead to having to repay large sumhs of manet

 Alan 8th June 2025