On the Winter Fuel change I am actually in agreement with Labour I have never understood why it wasn't mean tested.

My older neighbours have done very nicely during and after COVID / cost of living crisis most tell me they use it for Christmas presents for the grand kids.

For me the only real question is where is the cut off point when people stop getting it. I will leave that to others to argue how poor pensioners really are. My own father complains he is a poor pensioner and then complains he pays too much tax. This contradictory statement seems quite common amongst pensioners.

One more point

Means testing, I agree with.
They, however, intend to stop anyone not on benefits getting it.
So someone with just a pension will not receive it and that has to be wrong.

I can’t see what point you are making here.

Unfunded commitments were made and not provided to the OBR.

So they say - totally unproven.
A BBC article describes as the bean counters getting their own back on the Tories.
[Link]
In the interests of fair play, when you read it, it backs up your argument.
I am afraid that I don't buy it all and so we will have to agree to disagree.

No, many of the other 3 million pensioners live on their state pension only.

They will not qualify for pension credit it is set higher.

So they lose the fuel allowance altogether, the people who most need it.

Well yes, the explosion in house prices is exactly what's made this generation so wealthy (on average) - that's not remotely an argument in favour of maintaining benefits for them.

I find these lines about rewarding/punishing very silly - we have a progressive tax system; by definition it's going to 'reward failure' and 'penalise achievement' - unless you think we should start taxing low earners more?

I pay a large tax bill every year because I earn a good salary; not for a second do I view that as being punished or penalised. Equally, if I lost my job and started paying less tax, I would certainly not feel rewarded.