Winter fuel allowance decreased

DaisyFlower

Conor wrote: »

For the love of god....

Yet again we have an example of why pensioners are claiming they can't afford the heating in winter despite being given a benefit that more than covers it.

WINTER FUEL ALLOWANCE IS TO PAY THE HEATING BILLS. It's not to pay for care home fees, it's not to buy the grandkids Xmas presents....

The sooner they go onto a voucher scheme, the better.

Well said :T Vouchers would be an excellent way of ensuring the benefit was used for what it was intended for. Also, think of the money that could be saved if it was scrapped for those in care homes who dont get a fuel bill anyway.

There are lots of other benefits that would be better as vouchers/direct payments too.

Katykat

I'd like to clarify exactly what I mean. Most householders have a choice of paying their heating bills on a monthly basis. This payment is exactly the same every month, summer or winter. In the winter, when the heavy bills arrive, the elderly get the WFA, EVEN THOUGH THEY DONT ACTUALLY PAY ANY MORE IN THE WINTER- RIGHT????. The fees charged by a care home are charged on the same basis, ie the same weekly payment all year round. This weekly payment includes a charge for heating WHICH MY MOTHER HAS TO PAY. she does not get pension credit, she has NEVER in her life claimed dole/ housing benefit/ disabilty or any other "scrounger" payments. SO WHY SHOULD SHE NOT BE ENTITLED TO A FUEL ALLOWANCE?? iT ALL GOES TO THE HOME ANYWAY. It seems to me that the posters here who imply that it would be spent on fripperies know far too much about the benefit system & how to milk it. I only hope that when your time comes to make your meagre pensions stretch to paying for necceseties that you may show more concern.

bryanb

roddydogs wrote: »

Why does someone in a care home need ANY Fuel allowance?

Same reason as British pensioners living in tropical countries.

alared

roddydogs wrote: »

Why does someone in a care home need ANY Fuel allowance?

Because this lady is entitled to it,just the same as all those poor pensioners who are freezing in southern Spain,that get it.

Seems Bryanb and I posted at the same time.
Just to add that the benefits that people get are there for whatever purpose they want to use it for.
Do you seriously think that all the tax paid by motorists is spent on roads.
Or the child benefit on kids,more like scratch cards and fags.

Katykat

I'm in 2 minds about the pensioners living in Spain theory. They have more than likely paid tax & NI all their lives so why shouldn't they get what their entitled to. If they live abroad, their pensions are capped to the level it was when they left the country, so where does that extra money go. Are they less entitled to any benefits than a foreign national who moves here and claims benefits when they havn't contributed a penny? And dont be under any illusion that they dont because my OH works in the pensions dept ar DWP and deals with these every day.
However, I'm sure that I would probably not claim WFA if I lived abroad. Although, they still have to pay heating bills there dont they?
I still cant believe that there are people lurking in this forum who believe that they are entitled to deliver vitriolic comments like they have done. I asked for advice not your bigoted opinions. My mum never asked to get dementia, she doesn't want to be in a home, it tears my heart out to see her and all the other people there in this state and it kills me every time I leave her. She lived through very hard times, harder than any of you here could possibly imagine or thanks to people of their generation will ever have to . She waved goodbye to her father, brother and first sweetheart in 1940 and all she got back was 3 lots of medals. She brought 3 children up on my dads single wage, no child benefit for any first children then. She worked 20yrs caring for the elderly in their own homes ,paid tax & NI and has never claimed anything. She even paid house insurance for 65yrs and never claimed anything. So --CONOR-RODDYDOG-DAISYFLOWER-LINZPOWER- SAND C BRYAN B . can you all make the same statement? Are you all completely made of stone? If you cant offer constructive advice ( which is what this forum is for) then keep your comments to yourselves.

bryanb

Katykat ,Surely your OH would have given you the advice you say you needed regarding WFP as you say he works in a department dealing with these claims daily?
Why would you need to ring the department concerned to enquire as your first post says?
My constructive advice therefore is - Ask your OH rather than a free discussion forum, where each is entitled to give an opinion even if it differs from yours.

lynzpower

Im really sorry you found my post hard hearted?

I have a great sympathy for all children whos parents find themselves living in care homes, I worked in social services with older people for a while and know how hard it is.

I simply wondered why an extra payment was needed if the places are on an all inclusive basis.

Simply asking a question does not make me hard. Im simply trying to educate myself on the foibles of WFP.

Oldernotwiser

alared wrote: »

Because this lady is entitled to it,just the same as all those poor pensioners who are freezing in southern Spain,that get it.

.

You've obviously not been to southern Spain in the winter! It may be sunny but it gets bloody cold!

Oldernotwiser

Katykat wrote: »

If they live abroad, their pensions are capped to the level it was when they left the country, .

No it's not; don't post misinformation.

seven-day-weekend

Just to clear up misunderstandings about people living abroad:

Unless you were eligible for the Winter Fuel Allowance BEFORE you went abroad, you will not be entitled to it. My husband and I for example will not be entitled to receive it in Spain when we get to retirement age.

(And yes, we do have fuel bills to pay - yesterday we had two gas fires and an electric fire on because our house was so cold; today I am sitting with my dressing gown on on top of my clothes).

As regards State Pensions; if you are in the EU you get the same rises on your Pension as people in the UK, although there are some countries (notably some Commonwealth ones) where you don't get the rises.

Hope this helps.