I don't know how reliable it is, but this is an interesting story. If sound, it is a reminder that ministers don't take enough interest in practical feasibility. We knew that, but this article suggests Rachel Reeves follows that well-worn tradition. Not that anyone is likely to collapse in astonishment if the story is sound.
Glaring problem with Labour's war on pensioners means Rachel Reeves will have to back down
A former Conservative pensions minister who served in the role for six years has warned that Labour's pledge to prevent millions of pensioners from receiving Winter Fuel Payments this year "will not last".
Guy Opperman, who served in the top Government job from 2017 to 2023, took to social media this morning to explain why he believes Labour is "making a big mistake" by choosing to target pensioners in this way...
Mr Opperman explained: "Firstly an explainer of our benefit system. It is a big beast made up of 12+ ageing computer systems and 1000s of admin staff. It does not do nuance and fine margins.
10 comments:
I confess that I couldn't understand the objections in a quick reading of the article, but I don't think I have to. The benefits system is notoriously complicated. Even when studying Government back in the 1970s, it was accepted that there was no one single person who had a handle on the whole thing. Just centres of expertise on different topics, scattered throughout numerous offices.
So it's entirely predictable that the government will fall foul of this. Legal and administrative complexity is not as implacable as the laws of physics that Miliband will be defeated by, but it will grind you down just as effectively. And the thing about taking on the Blob is that you can't even demonise it, because they are your employees and you need them to work for you and vote for you.
Ah,he means that the ancient computer systems that are used for pensioners payments can't easily have code inserted to modify the winter fuel allowances to only people on pension credit. Put some more coal on the fire Ms Reeves.
Sam - and the internal desire to streamline won't be strong, because that implies fewer people, possibly far fewer. Presenting ministers with technical difficulties which can only be resolved by a huge IT project may also reduce big ideas to tinkering. Five years may not be enough.
Tammly - yes, it's easy to imagine how a blanket payment to all pensioners might be easy, but anything conditional not so easy.
Could this ancient computer system be the last / first Government IT project that actually worked?
Don't fiddle with it.
I believe that Russia still makes vacuum valves.
Oh dear!
Doonhamer - yes, if it ain't broke... but politicians are so good at breaking things for the sake of a headline.
Nothing trite about waiting and seeing now. 🍿🍿🍿
James - they seem out of their depth already.
Odd that she didn't also sweep away the £25 Xmas bonus and the extra 25p per week on State Retirement Pension for the over 80s. (Or is it the over 85s?).
Maybe even such elementary programming changes as those are too difficult for our Rolls Royce civil service.
dearieme - it would be no surprise if our Rolls Royce civil service relies on software which nobody now understands. There are plenty of anecdotal hints that NHS software and systems are fragmented and out of date.
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