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Cheaper GAS if Disabled person in the House?
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krisskross wrote: »But don't forget there is no assistance towards mobility once you hit 65. My husband has huge mobility issues secondary to rheumatoid arthritis, extensive heart disease and chronic lung disease. He also is diabetic with loss of sensation in feet etc.
I will happily swap our £250 a year WFA for the high rate mobility he would undoubtably receive if he was not just the wrong side of 65. Swings and roundabouts you see. So we also have to use our own money to pay for cabs etc. The cab fare to our nearest town is £24 return.
Mobility decreasing after 65 is due to the ageing process though - everyone goes through that.Sealed pot challenge #232. Gold stars from Sue-UU - :staradmin :staradmin £75.29 banked
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Mobility decreasing after 65 is due to the ageing process though - everyone goes through that.
Not between 64 and 65.
I am perfectly fit and mobile and over 65, my husband has many illnesses that severely curtail his mobilty. Nothing to do with the ageing process but disease. He is the same age.
You cannot use the age argument both ways.
The WFA is paid to all over pension age. Many of you think this is not fair and should include some people under pension age.
On the other hand tough if your serious mobility problems don't arise until the day before your 65th birthday. You are quite happy to discriminate against slightly older people with this ruling. Hugely obese people with mobility issues can get mobility DLA if under 65. Isn't the obesity a natural process secondary to overeating?
As I said before there have to be criteria, you either meet them or you don't.0 -
FWIW, I receive DLA for my son. Part of his care is to keep him warm and part of his DLA is spent on heating bills. However, as he has trouble breathing in cold weather, it would be helpful to have a WFA to cover the much higher bills during this period. He also has limited mobility and many other needs.
It may also be worth mentioning that although everyone knows they will (God willing!) get older, and can plan for it, many people are born with disabilities. Others aquire a disability through no fault of their own. It cannot be planned for in the same way. My son was born with complex needs and I have had to give up work to care for him. Since my ex husband left me and the kids, I have been on Income Support. Whilst DLA certainly helps towards the increased costs of heating, it does not cover it all as DLA also has to cover other costs.
If I were offered a credited amount (paid by the government directly to my fuel supplier) because of my son's need for warmth, I would welcome it. It would also be a way of ensuring that the WFA went exactly where it should go - on heating bills, not other things.0 -
krisskross wrote: »On the other hand tough if your serious mobility problems don't arise until the day before your 65th birthday. You are quite happy to discriminate against slightly older people with this ruling.
The line has to be drawn somewhere. Or do you think it's ok for a 90 year old to receive mobility, even though it's related to the ageing process?If I were offered a credited amount (paid by the government directly to my fuel supplier) because of my son's need for warmth, I would welcome it. It would also be a way of ensuring that the WFA went exactly where it should go - on heating bills, not other things.
This sounds more sensible.Sealed pot challenge #232. Gold stars from Sue-UU - :staradmin :staradmin £75.29 banked
50p saver #40 £20 banked
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The line has to be drawn somewhere. Or do you think it's ok for a 90 year old to receive mobility, even though it's related to the ageing process?
.
Does a 90 year old have less need to get about than a 64 year old? Does it really matter WHY mobility is difficult? So should we not let a driver who is injured in his car because the accident was his own fault have mobility money? Someone so obese they can't walk? Own fault, can't have mobility money? So why should the older person be discriminated against? Why should they be able to get the money until they are 106 as long as they originally claimed before they were 65?
Exactly what I said so you are agreeing with me. There are differing criteria for different benefits, some you meet so get the benefit, some you don't. If you are not of pension age then you do not get the WFA but get other benefits.
Makes people look greedy when they are casting covetous eyes on a benefit that all pensioners can have without means testing because they do not consider DLA, worth at minimum almost 4 times as much as the WFA, sufficient. So if the Government stop WFA and raise the State Pension by £5 a week will you still say it's not fair? Exactly the same amount of money would be being paid out, just called something different.0 -
..............................Winter Fuel Payments: Disabled
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost of extending the winter fuel payment scheme to disabled people under 60 years who are in receipt of (a) the middle or higher rate care component and (b) the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance in each of the next five years. [200574]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:Winter fuel payments were created to give pensioners reassurance that they can afford to heat their homes in winter. It is paid in a lump sum each winter to ensure that money is available when fuel bills arrive.
Help is already available through disability benefits and the disability premium in income-related benefits in recognition of the extra costs, including heating, which disabled people may have. The extra heating needs of disabled people by and large, arise all year round, not just in the winter months.
Information is not available in the format requested. Many individuals are in receipt of both a care component and mobility component of disability living allowance (DLA).
The following table details the estimated cost of extending winter fuel payments to individuals in receipt of some combination of the higher or middle rate care component of DLA and/or the higher rate mobility component of DLA or one of these components on its own.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080501/text/80501w0004.htm*SIGH*
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Thank you DX2
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost of extending the winter fuel payment scheme to disabled people under 60 years who are in receipt of (a) the middle or higher rate care component and (b) the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance in each of the next five years. [200574]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:Winter fuel payments were created to give pensioners reassurance that they can afford to heat their homes in winter. It is paid in a lump sum each winter to ensure that money is available when fuel bills arrive.
Help is already available through disability benefits and the disability premium in income-related benefits in recognition of the extra costs, including heating, which disabled people may have. The extra heating needs of disabled people by and large, arise all year round, not just in the winter months.
So DLA is meant to be used for the cost of extra heating.
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Warmfront is available to anyone claiming DLA including families with disabled children but dont get your hopes up, though many people have benefited from there help.
sunnyone
NOTES:
[*]The term 'Householder' includes the applicant's spouse, or partner, if they are living with the applicant
[*]Please note a Disability Living Allowance award for a child or non-dependent in your household will not qualify for the Warm Front grant.
http://www.warmfront.co.uk/do-i-qualify.htm*SIGH*0 -
Perhaps someone could do the figures for me:-
65 yo+ person on state pension only - topped up with Pension Credit.
Disabled person (any age under 65) - only entitled to Incapacity Benefit, possibly topped up with IS, but, as a result of a severe disability (for argument's sake, as a result of an accident), is entitled to highest rate DLA.
The set the scenario (incidentally this is based on 2 people I know):-
'Pensioner' owns own home (mortgage paid off before retirement set in), has a car. Is physically fit, just forced to retire due to age (not PC in today's world, but there you go), is able to cook, clean and wash self, do own shopping, takes the dog for a walk, goes to the bingo every night etc etc and if she wants, is able to get herself a little 'saturday job'.
DIsabled person, who has poor circulation due to damage caused through accident and has very limited mobility, has mortgage to pay, owns a car (leased through Motability on HP, so means everything on car has to be paid for ie insurance, petrol, repairs, but will be owned by that person and not have to be paid back). Has carer helping to wash, clean (self and house), cook, do shopping etc. Stuck in house, unable to go for a walk without pain setting in. Needs to keep warm at all times ... not just the winter.
I think you get the picture. Now, who is in need of the WFA more?
Please understand, I'm not against the pensioners of Britain getting the WFA, but even those who move to Spain are still entitled to it!!!
I could go on, but I think it would be good for someone to work out who is better off before the WFA is applied.0 -
minimadtrix wrote: »Perhaps someone could do the figures for me:-
65 yo+ person on state pension only - topped up with Pension Credit.
Disabled person (any age under 65) - only entitled to Incapacity Benefit, possibly topped up with IS, but, as a result of a severe disability (for argument's sake, as a result of an accident), is entitled to highest rate DLA.
The set the scenario (incidentally this is based on 2 people I know):-
'Pensioner' owns own home (mortgage paid off before retirement set in), has a car. Is physically fit, just forced to retire due to age (not PC in today's world, but there you go), is able to cook, clean and wash self, do own shopping, takes the dog for a walk, goes to the bingo every night etc etc and if she wants, is able to get herself a little 'saturday job'.
DIsabled person, who has poor circulation due to damage caused through accident and has very limited mobility, has mortgage to pay, owns a car (leased through Motability on HP, so means everything on car has to be paid for ie insurance, petrol, repairs, but will be owned by that person and not have to be paid back). Has carer helping to wash, clean (self and house), cook, do shopping etc. Stuck in house, unable to go for a walk without pain setting in. Needs to keep warm at all times ... not just the winter.
I think you get the picture. Now, who is in need of the WFA more?
Please understand, I'm not against the pensioners of Britain getting the WFA, but even those who move to Spain are still entitled to it!!!
I could go on, but I think it would be good for someone to work out who is better off before the WFA is applied.
We are only talking about £250 A YEAR! It has already been explained that DLA plus disablement premiums are to help with the extra expenses of disablement INCLUDING heating. I would imagine that if your spritely little pensioner only has her pension then she will be financially worse off. Just because she has made provision for her retirement shouldn't mean she is penalised. I do wish the Government would simply give all pensioners a £5 a week increase and cancel the Winter fuel payment. It would save a lot of envy. And i wish you would stop assuming all pensioners should be hunched over little creatures. 65 is not old!!!!! My neighbour is 94, does all her own shopping, cooking , cleaning.
BTW where does your disabled chap get the money to pay his mortgage? Does he work?
In fact why don't we do away with pensioners altogether then all you moaners could have more. For goodness sake you live in a country where the disabled are so well catered for.Not like in Thailand for instance where they lie limbless people on the pavement begging.0
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