Latest news with #Sam
Malaysian Reserve
30 minutes ago
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Johnson Pope Expands Legal Talent with the Addition of Jessica Warwick and Samuel C. Craig to Its St. Petersburg Office
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., June 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Johnson, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel & Burns, LLP is proud to announce the addition of two new associate attorneys, Jessica Warwick and Samuel C. Craig, to its St. Petersburg office. These strategic hires reflect the firm's continued growth and commitment to serving clients with deep, specialized knowledge across key practice areas. Jessica Warwick Joins Healthcare Practice GroupJessica Warwick has joined Johnson Pope's Healthcare Practice Group, where she advises hospitals, health systems, and medical providers on a wide range of regulatory and compliance matters. Her areas of focus include telemedicine, the corporate practice of medicine, and Medicare/Medicaid compliance. Jessica holds both a Juris Doctor and a Master of Health Administration from Penn State. Her experience includes drafting and negotiating management and professional services agreements, conducting regulatory compliance reviews for digital health platforms, and supporting healthcare M&A transactions. Jessica is admitted to the Florida Bar and currently serves as the Health and Wellness Chair for the Pinellas County chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers. Samuel C. Craig Joins Tax, Trusts & Estates Practice GroupsSamuel C. Craig has joined Johnson Pope as an associate in the Tax, Trusts & Estates and Business Transactions Practice Groups. Sam focuses his practice on estate planning, tax law, and business matters, providing practical, strategic counsel to individuals, families, and business owners. Sam earned his J.D. from Stetson University College of Law, where he was a research assistant, president of the Business Law Society, and a member of both the Dispute Resolution Board and Trial Team. He received multiple awards for oral advocacy, including a national mock trial championship and induction into the National Order of the Barristers. He later earned his LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Florida on a merit scholarship where he earned multiple CALI book awards, further honing his knowledge of federal and state tax law. Sam is dedicated to helping clients protect their legacies, minimize tax burdens, and navigate complex legal issues with clarity and care. About Johnson PopeJohnson, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel & Burns, LLP is a full-service Florida-based law firm with offices in Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg. The firm is known for its commitment to excellence, innovative legal solutions, and deep roots in the communities it serves. To learn more, visit
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Inside Aaron Taylor-Johnson's controversial marriage… and how it survived ‘grooming claims' and vile stepdaughter slurs
SHE'S been labelled a 'cradle-snatcher', 'sexual deviant' and even a 'groomer' - while he has been accused of having 'complex mother issues'. Yet stepping out on the red carpet in London earlier this week for the world premiere of his new film 28 Years Later, 16 Posing together this week at the 28 Years Later premiere in London, Aaron and Sam Taylor-Johnson looked loved up ahead of celebrating their 13th anniversary on Saturday Credit: Getty 16 The couple started dating in 2009, when Aaron was still a teenager Credit: Getty 16 The couple have been subjected to vile slurs and 'grooming' accusations Credit: Instagram/@aarontaylorjohnson From where they're standing, they've proved the critics wrong. Tomorrow marks their But it's even more startling considering the never-ending noise surrounding their age-gap romance, and its very unconventional beginning. They first met in 2008, when Aaron, then just 18, was cast in the role of a teenage John Lennon in Sam's directorial debut Filmmaker and double cancer survivor Sam was 41, more than double his age, and had two daughters with her ex-husband, the art dealer Jay Jopling - to whom she was married for 11 years before they 'amicably' split in 2008. While seemingly worlds apart, the pair connected and reportedly got together upon completing their film . As Sam told Harper's Bazaar in 2019, 'We were very professional through the entire film… But everyone on set knew. 'And as soon as we finished, he told me he was going to marry me. We had never been on a date, or even kissed.' She was quick to stress the fact that he pursued her, seemingly trying - and failing - to squash the 'granny groomer' accusations swiftly lobbed in her direction. Filming concluded in March and, by June - when Aaron turned 19 - they were stepping out together on date nights. Neither confirmed a romance, but the PDAs did the talking. By their film's premiere in October 2009 they were officially a couple. Walking the red carpet arm-in-arm - Sam in a glitzy gold dress and Aaron in a tux - they started as they meant to go on: loud and unapologetic. Needless to say, the reaction was deafening. Comments from the time included: 'She looks like his mum!' and 'How can she do this to him? He's only a child who barely knows his own mind yet.' Double standards Some were also quick to point out that any positive reactions would have been very different were things the other way around. Sam wasn't just more than two decades older than Aaron. She was also wealthier, more established and - with friends like artist What's more, as the director of his breakout movie, she was effectively his boss. But despite the cascade of 'casting couch' accusations, the couple remained defiant - and a year after they met, Critics loudly declared it wouldn't last, with one commenter suggesting: 'Let's see how long he sticks around if he makes it big.' 16 The couple first met on the set of Nowhere Boy, in which a then 18-year-old Aaron played John Lennon Credit: Alamy 16 The couple went official at the Nowhere Boy premiere in October 2009 Credit: PA:Press Association 16 Sam received her OBE in 2011 with Aaron and daughters Angelica and Jessie Phoenix by her side Credit: Getty 16 Sam shares her two elder daughters with ex-husband Jay Jopling Credit: Getty Another scoffed: 'I give it three months.' By 2010 they'd welcomed their first child together - daughter Wylda Rae, now 14 - and second daughter Romy followed in January 2012. They married five months later at Babington House in Somerset - a lavish do attended by Beyonce and Elton John - and combined their surnames. They now live down the road in a £1.85m farmhouse in Bruton. Aaron claimed he wasn't nervous about fatherhood as he'd already settled into the role of stepdad to Sam's two daughters - Angelica, now 28, and Jessie Phoenix, now 18 - despite the fact that Angelica was only six years his junior. He's made a point of stating he considers them both his own daughters, affectionately calling Jessie his 'babygirl' in an Instagram caption last year to mark her 18th birthday. Obviously any suggestion he's anything more than a loving stepfather is unfounded - which is why the latest slew of rumours surrounding Aaron and his stepdaughter must have stung. Last December Aaron and Sam were joined by Angelica and Jessie Phoenix on the red carpet for the premiere of his movie Kraven The Hunter. 16 Aaron wished his stepdaughter Jessie Phoenix happy birthday last year Credit: Instagram@/aarontaylorjohnson 16 Attending the Kraven The Hunter premiere last December with elder daughters Angelica and Jessie Phoenix - in a photo op that sparked controversy Credit: Getty 16 The couple still collaborate on projects - like their 2019 film A Million Little Pieces Credit: Getty Images - Getty Posing for the cameras, Aaron put his arm around Jessie Phoenix and gave her a reassuring stroke on the back. The candid moment - a fatherly gesture no doubt intended to reassure the camera-shy teenager - was catnip to twisted internet trolls who branded the it 'disgusting', while TikTok lit up with clips of the moment. Wild conspiracy theories of an illicit affair flooded the comments, with one commenter questioning: 'Are they flirting?' and another writing: 'What if being with the grandma is all a show and he's with her daughter?' A third added: 'If I didn't know their story, I would think that was his girlfriend.' Unsurprisingly the couple, nor their children, dignified the ludicrous furore with a response. Their reaction was the same when, two years ago, vicious rumours swirled that Aaron had an affair with his much younger Bullet Train co-star Joey King, 25. I much prefer being a parent to working. Doesn't everybody? Aaron Taylor-Johnson In his early 20s, father-of-four Aaron claimed he was just as happy playing a stay-at-home dad as he was leading blockbuster films. His early roles in their relationship included Kick Ass, Savages, Anna Karenina and Godzilla. When Sam won the highly-contested directing gig for Fifty Shades of Grey in 2015, he took time off to man the fort at home. As he later told The Post, 'I much prefer being a parent to working. Doesn't everybody? The best time I have is with my kids, experiencing their growth and their life with them. I think it's important to have time to enjoy that.' As for Sam, she paid tribute to him while promoting the film, saying, "Being in an amazing relationship, having come out of a difficult one, it felt so good [that he stayed at home while she worked]. 'And I feel like that stability has enabled me to get on with doing this momentous project." She then returned the favour, enabling him to star in 2016's Nocturnal Animals to rave reviews and a Paying tribute to his beloved in his speech, he said: "I want to thank my wife for being there with me, supporting me through this. 'Thank you for putting up with me. Jesus, that was not very pleasant in this role, so you're my soulmate and I love you very much… I'm blessed. I have four beautiful daughters: Anjelica, Phoenix, Wylda, and Romy, I love you all very much." Sam has described Aaron as an old soul in a younger man's body, and claims their strong union has come from their ability to ignore the uproar. 16 The couple have been inseparable since the day they met Credit: Getty - Contributor 16 They still post loved-up snaps together Credit: Instagram/@aarontaylorjohnson 16 Sam's ex Jay Jopling, now 62, had a fling with Lily Allen, now 40, when she was 23 Credit: Big Pictures In 2017, she said: 'If I gave a second thought to other people, I would be the unhappiest person, probably still in a miserable marriage . 'People like to talk about [the age gap]. I'm like, 'Yeah, but it works better than my last marriage'. It's lasted longer than a lot of my friends' marriages.' Ironically, months before she and Aaron went public, her ex Jay Jopling was embroiled in his own age-gap romance when he was pictured kissing a then Caribbean . The fling fizzled out quickly, but he was never tarnished with the same 'groomer' label as Sam. Power play Speaking in 2023, Amelia Kelley, a trauma-informed therapist, told Business Insider that criticism surrounding the Taylor-Johnsons was blatant misogyny. "When we see an older woman with a younger man, it underscores that the woman isn't as young as we think they should be,' she said. 'That could be uncomfortable for someone to see.' Yet Elizabeth Jeglic, a professor of psychology at John Jay College in New York , argued against the gendered critique, suggesting it was Sam who could have abused her position of power . "The person who is older tends to be a person who has more power or more experience,' she said. 'They often will select individuals who are younger and more inexperienced because they're more vulnerable. And that creates an unequal power dynamic." Aaron's still surprised by the furore and frenzy his age-gap romance stirs up. 16 The happy couple renewed their vows in 2022 Credit: Instagram/@aarontaylorjohnson 16 They also have matching tattoos of each other's names Credit: Instagram/@_dr_woo_ Speaking last year to Rolling Stone, he said, 'What you gotta realise is that what most people were doing in their twenties, I was doing when I was 13. 'You're doing something too quickly for someone else? I don't understand that. What speed are you supposed to enjoy life at? It's bizarre to me." General consensus is that Aaron wasn't seeking a mummy figure because of any maternal hole in his life. He's in fact remained incredibly close to his own mother, Sarah, who accompanied him to film sets throughout his young career, taught him 'how to be a man' and has played an active role in raising her grandchildren. As for his early dating life there's no sign of any prior 'older woman fetish', with previous flings including actresses Likewise, it doesn't seem like Sam was simply looking for someone to baby or boss around. She may be a bigwig director, but she's just as happy sharing the spotlight with her incredibly successful, increasingly handsome younger husband. Aaron's role in Danny Boyle's latest epic promises to strengthen his position as one of the UK's most successful actors on both sides of the pond - while whispers that he's As the couple hit the red carpet this week, now aged 35 and 58 respectively, one cynic wrote, 'son and great-grandma', while another commented, 'She really got her claws in deep, that one.' But refreshingly, many comments now celebrate the pair, with one writing: 'Good on them for proving haters wrong.' Another added: 'Age is just a number when you love each other as this couple obviously do.' It's safe to say they'll never stop courting controversy - as every time they step out together, the public are reminded of how it all began. But over a decade later, the Taylor-Johnsons continue to put two fingers up to their doubters. 16 They've been inseparable since day one - despite the trolling Credit: Instagram/@aarontaylorjohnson
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Inside Aaron Taylor-Johnson's controversial marriage… and how it survived ‘grooming claims' and vile stepdaughter slurs
SHE'S been labelled a 'cradle-snatcher', 'sexual deviant' and even a 'groomer' - while he has been accused of having 'complex mother issues'. Yet stepping out on the red carpet in London earlier this week for the world premiere of his new film 28 Years Later, Sam and Aaron Taylor-Johnson looked unfazed by the furore that's forever stalked their relationship. Advertisement 16 Posing together this week at the 28 Years Later premiere in London, Aaron and Sam Taylor-Johnson looked loved up ahead of celebrating their 13th anniversary on Saturday Credit: Getty 16 The couple started dating in 2009, when Aaron was still a teenager Credit: Getty 16 The couple have been subjected to vile slurs and 'grooming' accusations Credit: Instagram/@aarontaylorjohnson From where they're standing, they've proved the critics wrong. Tomorrow marks their 13th wedding anniversary, after all - an impressive feat by Hollywood standards. Advertisement But it's even more startling considering the never-ending noise surrounding their age-gap romance, and its very unconventional beginning. They first met in 2008, when Aaron, then just 18, was cast in the role of a teenage John Lennon in Sam's directorial debut Nowhere Boy. Filmmaker and double cancer survivor Sam was 41, more than double his age, and had two daughters with her ex-husband, the art dealer Jay Jopling - to whom she was married for 11 years before they 'amicably' split in 2008. While seemingly worlds apart, the pair connected and reportedly got together upon completing their film. As Sam told Harper's Bazaar in 2019, 'We were very professional through the entire film… But everyone on set knew. Advertisement 'And as soon as we finished, he told me he was going to marry me. We had never been on a date, or even kissed.' She was quick to stress the fact that he pursued her, seemingly trying - and failing - to squash the 'granny groomer' accusations swiftly lobbed in her direction. Filming concluded in March and, by June - when Aaron turned 19 - they were stepping out together on date nights. Neither confirmed a romance, but the PDAs did the talking. By their film's premiere in October 2009 they were officially a couple. Advertisement Walking the red carpet arm-in-arm - Sam in a glitzy gold dress and Aaron in a tux - they started as they meant to go on: loud and unapologetic. Needless to say, the reaction was deafening. Comments from the time included: 'She looks like his mum!' and 'How can she do this to him? He's only a child who barely knows his own mind yet.' Double standards Some were also quick to point out that any positive reactions would have been very different were things the other way around. Sam wasn't just more than two decades older than Aaron. She was also wealthier, more established and - with friends like artist Damien Hirst and Elton John - enviably better connected. Advertisement What's more, as the director of his breakout movie, she was effectively his boss. But despite the cascade of 'casting couch' accusations, the couple remained defiant - and a year after they met, Aaron got down on one knee. Critics loudly declared it wouldn't last, with one commenter suggesting: 'Let's see how long he sticks around if he makes it big.' 16 The couple first met on the set of Nowhere Boy, in which a then 18-year-old Aaron played John Lennon Credit: Alamy 16 The couple went official at the Nowhere Boy premiere in October 2009 Credit: PA:Press Association Advertisement 16 Sam received her OBE in 2011 with Aaron and daughters Angelica and Jessie Phoenix by her side Credit: Getty 16 Sam shares her two elder daughters with ex-husband Jay Jopling Credit: Getty Another scoffed: 'I give it three months.' By 2010 they'd welcomed their first child together - daughter Wylda Rae, now 14 - and second daughter Romy followed in January 2012. They married five months later at Babington House in Somerset - a lavish do attended by Beyonce and Elton John - and combined their surnames. They now live down the road in a £1.85m farmhouse in Bruton. Advertisement Aaron claimed he wasn't nervous about fatherhood as he'd already settled into the role of stepdad to Sam's two daughters - Angelica, now 28, and Jessie Phoenix, now 18 - despite the fact that Angelica was only six years his junior. He's made a point of stating he considers them both his own daughters, affectionately calling Jessie his 'babygirl' in an Instagram caption last year to mark her 18th birthday. Obviously any suggestion he's anything more than a loving stepfather is unfounded - which is why the latest slew of rumours surrounding Aaron and his stepdaughter must have stung. Last December Aaron and Sam were joined by Angelica and Jessie Phoenix on the red carpet for the premiere of his movie Kraven The Hunter. 16 Aaron wished his stepdaughter Jessie Phoenix happy birthday last year Credit: Instagram@/aarontaylorjohnson Advertisement 16 Attending the Kraven The Hunter premiere last December with elder daughters Angelica and Jessie Phoenix - in a photo op that sparked controversy Credit: Getty 16 The couple still collaborate on projects - like their 2019 film A Million Little Pieces Credit: Getty Images - Getty Posing for the cameras, Aaron put his arm around Jessie Phoenix and gave her a reassuring stroke on the back. The candid moment - a fatherly gesture no doubt intended to reassure the camera-shy teenager - was catnip to twisted internet trolls who branded the it 'disgusting', while TikTok lit up with clips of the moment. Wild conspiracy theories of an illicit affair flooded the comments, with one commenter questioning: 'Are they flirting?' and another writing: 'What if being with the grandma is all a show and he's with her daughter?' Advertisement A third added: 'If I didn't know their story, I would think that was his girlfriend.' Unsurprisingly the couple, nor their children, dignified the ludicrous furore with a response. Their reaction was the same when, two years ago, vicious rumours swirled that Aaron had an affair with his much younger Bullet Train co-star Joey King, 25. I much prefer being a parent to working. Doesn't everybody? Aaron Taylor-Johnson In his early 20s, father-of-four Aaron claimed he was just as happy playing a stay-at-home dad as he was leading blockbuster films. His early roles in their relationship included Kick Ass, Savages, Anna Karenina and Godzilla. Advertisement When Sam won the highly-contested directing gig for Fifty Shades of Grey in 2015, he took time off to man the fort at home. As he later told The Post, 'I much prefer being a parent to working. Doesn't everybody? The best time I have is with my kids, experiencing their growth and their life with them. I think it's important to have time to enjoy that.' As for Sam, she paid tribute to him while promoting the film, saying, "Being in an amazing relationship, having come out of a difficult one, it felt so good [that he stayed at home while she worked]. 'And I feel like that stability has enabled me to get on with doing this momentous project." She then returned the favour, enabling him to star in 2016's Nocturnal Animals to rave reviews and a Golden Globe Award. Advertisement Paying tribute to his beloved in his speech, he said: "I want to thank my wife for being there with me, supporting me through this. 'Thank you for putting up with me. Jesus, that was not very pleasant in this role, so you're my soulmate and I love you very much… I'm blessed. I have four beautiful daughters: Anjelica, Phoenix, Wylda, and Romy, I love you all very much." Sam has described Aaron as an old soul in a younger man's body, and claims their strong union has come from their ability to ignore the uproar. 16 The couple have been inseparable since the day they met Credit: Getty - Contributor 16 They still post loved-up snaps together Credit: Instagram/@aarontaylorjohnson Advertisement 16 Sam's ex Jay Jopling, now 62, had a fling with Lily Allen, now 40, when she was 23 Credit: Big Pictures In 2017, she said: 'If I gave a second thought to other people, I would be the unhappiest person, probably still in a miserable marriage. 'People like to talk about [the age gap]. I'm like, 'Yeah, but it works better than my last marriage'. It's lasted longer than a lot of my friends' marriages.' Ironically, months before she and Aaron went public, her ex Jay Jopling was embroiled in his own age-gap romance when he was pictured kissing a then 23-year-old Lily Allen in the Caribbean. The fling fizzled out quickly, but he was never tarnished with the same 'groomer' label as Sam. Advertisement Power play Speaking in 2023, Amelia Kelley, a trauma-informed therapist, told Business Insider that criticism surrounding the Taylor-Johnsons was blatant misogyny. "When we see an older woman with a younger man, it underscores that the woman isn't as young as we think they should be,' she said. 'That could be uncomfortable for someone to see.' Yet Elizabeth Jeglic, a professor of psychology at John Jay College in New York, argued against the gendered critique, suggesting it was Sam who could have abused her position of power. "The person who is older tends to be a person who has more power or more experience,' she said. Advertisement 'They often will select individuals who are younger and more inexperienced because they're more vulnerable. And that creates an unequal power dynamic." Aaron's still surprised by the furore and frenzy his age-gap romance stirs up. 16 The happy couple renewed their vows in 2022 Credit: Instagram/@aarontaylorjohnson 16 They also have matching tattoos of each other's names Credit: Instagram/@_dr_woo_ Speaking last year to Rolling Stone, he said, 'What you gotta realise is that what most people were doing in their twenties, I was doing when I was 13. Advertisement 'You're doing something too quickly for someone else? I don't understand that. What speed are you supposed to enjoy life at? It's bizarre to me." General consensus is that Aaron wasn't seeking a mummy figure because of any maternal hole in his life. He's in fact remained incredibly close to his own mother, Sarah, who accompanied him to film sets throughout his young career, taught him 'how to be a man' and has played an active role in raising her grandchildren. As for his early dating life there's no sign of any prior 'older woman fetish', with previous flings including actresses Georgia Groome, 33, and Alice Connor, 34. Likewise, it doesn't seem like Sam was simply looking for someone to baby or boss around. Advertisement She may be a bigwig director, but she's just as happy sharing the spotlight with her incredibly successful, increasingly handsome younger husband. Aaron's role in Danny Boyle's latest epic promises to strengthen his position as one of the UK's most successful actors on both sides of the pond - while whispers that he's favourite to play the next James Bond continue. As the couple hit the red carpet this week, now aged 35 and 58 respectively, one cynic wrote, 'son and great-grandma', while another commented, 'She really got her claws in deep, that one.' But refreshingly, many comments now celebrate the pair, with one writing: 'Good on them for proving haters wrong.' Another added: 'Age is just a number when you love each other as this couple obviously do.' Advertisement It's safe to say they'll never stop courting controversy - as every time they step out together, the public are reminded of how it all began. But over a decade later, the Taylor-Johnsons continue to put two fingers up to their doubters.
Scotsman
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Best show nominee Sam Nicoresti returns to the Fringe with 'Baby Doomer'
Described as 'simultaneously smart and silly' by Chortle, Leicester Square New Comedian of the Year Winner and Chortle Best MC Nominee Sam Nicoresti returns to Edinburgh Fringe from 30 July to 24 August (except 11th) at 5.40pm at Pleasance Bunker 2 with Baby Doomer (Best Show Nominee Leicester Comedy Festival 2025), a show about losing your mind and finding the perfect skirt suit. In the summer of '23, following a sartorial emergency in a TK Maxx changing room and a stressful house move a whole minute round the corner, the acclaimed comedian and burgeoning trans icon lost their mind. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Sam Nicoresti's previous Edinburgh Fringe show, Cancel Anti Wokeflake Snow Culture, was picked out by The Guardian and The Week among others before becoming the genre-defying breakout hit special Wokeflake, whose bold routines on the trans experience have blown up online, amassing over 4.5million views on Instagram with celebrities including Sarah Silverman reposting them. Baby Doomer is a story about breakdown, recovery and the persistence of love. In a time of unprecedented mental health crisis amongst marginalised folx and a growing attitude of doomerism towards the problems of the world, Sam Nicoresti offers a disarmingly relatable deconstruction of the human experience hidden by the labels we place on others and ourselves. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Baby Doomer is also about a comedy night in a care home, a strange proposition in the sperm bank, changing your name and joining a cult… Sam Nicoresti: Baby Doomer Sam Nicoresti is a multi-award-winning comedian from Birmingham known for creating cerebrally silly shows informed by absurdism, cinema and music which explore states of consciousness, identity, and cosmic dread. Sam won Leicester Square Theatre New Comedian of the Year in 2021, has had two Fringe shows transfer to London's Soho Theatre and was nominated for Best Compere at the Chortle Awards 2024. In 2025 their new show Baby Doomer, was nominated for Best Show at Leicester Comedy Festival. Sam has also been part of projects including The Glang Show, Weirdos Comedy Club and the Panel Prize-winning Iraq: Out & Loud. Sam lives in North London and is also a film-maker, musician and friend to cats.
Daily Mirror
10 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Millionaires may be eligible for Winter Fuel Payments in new rules
The Winter Fuel Payment U-turn could open up an unexpected loophole for wealthy retirees After facing severe backlash for cutting back Winter Fuel Payments shortly after winning the election last year, the Labour party has made a U-turn. Announcing new rules to means-test the seasonal benefit to assure vulnerable retirees are helped through the harshest months. To be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, which offers either £200 or £300 every winter to help cover heating costs, people over state pension age will need to have a taxable income of under £35,000 per year. Experts at Forbes Dawson warned: 'Although this may seem like a sensible approach, as many pensioners are asset-rich but have relatively low levels of income this could have unintended consequences and exclude many 'poor' people. 'Wealthy pensioners are generally in a unique position to control their level of taxable income on a year-to-year basis. Most pensioners will generally have some control over the amount of taxable income they extract from their pensions on an annual basis and many pensioners will have no 'income' and live off their built-up capital.' However, the experts added: 'We are not seriously suggesting that wealthy individuals will manipulate their income just to enjoy a £200 benefit, there will be cases where the very wealthy still qualify, while more deserving cases go without.' To break it down, the finance experts shared a fictional example of a retired NHS consultant called Dr Sam who has an estate worth £5million and makes specific moves with his money already in order to cut down a future Inheritance Tax bill. Including making loans to his Family Investment Company that sits outside his estate. As none of the shares are held by him directly, he doesn't pay tax on it and instead gets £200,000 annually as a repayment on his loan to the company. So while his general income is sitting at six-figures, his taxable income is zero so he will qualify under the new Winter Fuel Payment rules. In another fictional example, the money experts pointed out how people with less assets in retirement don't have as much control over their finances and might be excluded from the benefit. Retired teacher Doris uses a defined benefit public sector pension which is taxable income. She gets £40,000 a year from it, roughly £2,600 after tax, and with little money elsewhere she is reliant on nearly every penny so she can't cut it down. Because of her taxable income, she will not qualify for the benefit despite getting £160,000 less each year than Dr Sam. The new rules will make nine million more pensioners eligible for Winter Fuel Payments. And people can still opt out of receiving it but will need to do so before 15 September, 2025. Eligible people over state pension age will be receiving £200 between November and December 2025. Meanwhile those over the age of 80 who are eligible will receive £300.
