Interesting article on the Institute of Fiscal Studies website about winter fuel payments: http://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/5308
The benefit is interesting in that it is universal, is payable to households, and is also specific in purpose.
However in the arguments for and against the authors Thomas Crossley and Cormac O'Dea overlook the point that the benefit indirectly encourages families to look after elderly relatives (instead of selfishly off-loading them onto the state). In that respect it contributes to family cohesion. It would be interesting to see studies that asked whether increasing the benefit would result in more elderly relatives being looked after in a family context.
PS although in favour of universal benefits I am not sure people on salaries of £44k pa need to get child benefits. Also Ed Miliband should not be using PMQs to argue for RICH people (as those on £44k undoubtedly are) to get even more money. As a sob story it was entirely unconvincing and sounded opportunistic.
