The govt's Student Loan Plan 2 repayment freeze in April 2027 must be reversed. It isn't moral.
I'm concerned that my debate with Kemi Badenoch this morning distracts from the most immediate problem. In April 2027 Rachel Reeves will freeze the Plan 2 student loan threshold until 2030 which by then will increase graduate repayments by £300/yr more.
This is effectively a unilateral negative breach of the student loan contract. Students were told the threshold would rise with average earnings. No commercial lender would be allowed to do this. The govt shouldn't do it either.
Changing the terms of future students loans is a political decision - people may not like it but it is transparent. Negatively changing the terms of contracts already signed, and long in place, is a breach of natural justice.
@tescomobile I have seen on Facebook that there is a mast out of action not sure how true this is though. Have been a customer for over 10 years and have just renewed my sim only contract so quite unhappy never had any issues before
@tescomobile please can you tell me when I will be able to use my mobile data again. I can only access apps when connected to WiFi it has not been working since last Thursday 3 April
@RoyalMailHelp my parcel was due to be delivered today between 11.30 and 3.30 nothing yet at 4.25. Then I notice the small print on message saying please be aware any time or date shown is not a guarantee! So I am expected to stay in indefinitely?
@hellobye1024500 To rub salt into my wounds, I'm still waiting for my pre-ordered Notebook edition cd to arrive. So no tickets AND no cd!!! I'm not having much luck here @coldplay 😫
@MartinSLewis@RachelReevesMP Please please don’t follow the conservatives in making decisions that are easy for you just to say only pensioners who are on pension credit qualify is an easy but lazy decision because you can’t be bothered to work out actually should get it
News. The Chancellor's just announced Winter Fuel Payments will no longer be universal to all pensioners, now only pensioners on benefits will get it - in my view that's too narrow a group. Here's my formal statement to @RachelReevesMP ...
--------------
The targeting of Winter Fuel Payments is too narrow with the winter we have coming. Pensioners were already due to get less as this will be the first time since winter 2022 they haven’t got the up to £300 extra winter fuel cost of living top-up.
The Energy Price Cap is likely to rise 10% this October and stay high across the winter, leaving most energy bills nearly double those pre-crisis, at levels unaffordable for millions.
Many pensioners eke out the £100 to £300 Winter Fuel Payments to allow them to keep some heating on through the cold months. While there's an argument for ending its universality due to tight national finances, it's being squeezed to too narrow a group – just those on benefits and Pension Credit.
Yet again, those just above the thresholds will be hardest hit. This is often justified as there's a 'lack of household income data' to allow other targeting. However, there's a usable precedent from the emergency energy crisis measures announced in April 2022, which I'd urge the Government to look at.
Then, a payment was made to homes in council tax bands A to D – as an imperfect but workable proxy for lower household incomes. That'd allow an additional group of lower to middle-income pensioners to keep the payments and mitigate bill shocks. Councils' discretionary funds could also be funded as in April 2022, for the limited numbers who still need help but don't qualify.
Plus, with this announcement, the Government has a huge moral imperative to ensure the 800,000 people eligible for Pension Credit who don't get it, are informed, educated and helped through the process. It is planning an awareness-raising campaign, but it needs to ensure that reaches every corner – and if possible proactively and personally contact people.
Pension Credit is a crucial gateway benefit, giving access to a host of other entitlements, and now with the link to the Winter Fuel Payment, it makes it even more important to ensure fewer miss out."
So it turns out Rishi Sunak originally refused to go to the D-Day commemorations *at all* and only agreed to go for part of it, in a "compromise" with the French.
reaction.life/d-day-tory-fur…
Everyone left the cinema tonight after Wicked Little Letters grinning from ear to ear. Turns out all we need is a sweary Olivia Colman to perk us up. Utterly charming!!