Devastating blow for households in fuel poverty

Cardew

Decado23 wrote: »

I gotta take the pensioners side on this one... worked (and paid tax) for maybe 66 years, fought or lived through a war or two.. etc.

Why do these people have pensions so low they have to subsidise holiday/christmas presents/rent/council tax/face lift out of their heating allowance (not to sure about the last one though )? Should pensioners have no expectation of any quality of life in their old age, eking out an existance between the post office and the grocers? Perhaps we should close down all the bingo halls, surely the money spent there would be better put aside in case it's a chilly one again next year.

And god forbid any 82 year old to expect to buy their (great?)grandchildren a cuddly toy or two for birthdays/christmas.

Decado23,
You sound like a politician trying to win votes!! Take the pensioner's side indeed!!

The heating allowance was introduced in response to the pressure applied to the Government about pensioners unable to afford heating.

It is a non-means tested, tax free allowance rather like the £10 xmas bonus and is simply seen as part of income.

If the allowance was increased to £1,000 and more than covered the fuel bills, there would still be the 'pensioners dying of the cold' argument put forward.

It is a valid 'social' argument that pensions should be higher etc. However there should be a way to 'ring fence' the heating allowance to ensure that is goes toward the fuel bills as intended.

Decado23

Cardew wrote: »

Decado23,
You sound like a politician trying to win votes!! Take the pensioner's side indeed!!

lol, noooooo!

Cardew wrote: »

The heating allowance was introduced in response to the pressure applied to the Government about pensioners unable to afford heating.

It is a non-means tested, tax free allowance rather like the £10 xmas bonus and is simply seen as part of income.

If the allowance was increased to £1,000 and more than covered the fuel bills, there would still be the 'pensioners dying of the cold' argument put forward.

It is a valid 'social' argument that pensions should be higher etc. However there should be a way to 'ring fence' the heating allowance to ensure that is goes toward the fuel bills as intended.

meh, nothing I'd dispute in there. But if pensioners are in a position where they are using their fuel allowance for rent/council tax, then something's not right. meh, enough general grumbling from me on this one, the general living conditions of pensioners is a bit outside the scope of this discussion.

Plushchris

Cardew wrote: »

If the allowance was increased to £1,000 and more than covered the fuel bills, there would still be the 'pensioners dying of the cold' argument put forward.

It is a valid 'social' argument that pensions should be higher etc. However there should be a way to 'ring fence' the heating allowance to ensure that is goes toward the fuel bills as intended.

This is my point exactly, I'm not saying I know exactly how to change things but I disagree with just giving them the cash, if it were vouchers or something they would HAVE to use it toward fuel, they could be on any tariff they liked and these vouchers could be taken and credited to the account.

I've heard old people moaning about their gas and electric bills and when I question them their yearly spend is something like £600 and I just think that seeing as the WFA pays for around half of that there really is no excuse. Instead of using it what its intended for they spend the WFA on presents/holidays/etc then complain they cant afford to put the heat on.

Ken68

You make it sound like an national epidemic of pensioners
swigging their way thru an essential grant.
As long as the gas and electric bills are paid what is the odds.
I would want to see proof positive that OAP's were being so irresponsible, just don't believe it , heresay otherwise.

1carminestocky

Well, my 79 year old father spent some of his winter fuel allowance on naughty women and some of it on alcohol. The rest he absolutely wasted IMO by paying his bloody gas bill with it....

Plushchris

Ken68 wrote: »

You make it sound like an national epidemic of pensioners
swigging their way thru an essential grant.
As long as the gas and electric bills are paid what is the odds..

What if they arent spending as much on heating as they should because they have spent it all on other things?

The winter fuel allowance is there for winter fuel.

Its not a "Supposed to be for winter fuel but buy your grandkids something nice with instead and freeze to death allowance"

If every pensioner used it for that then surely there wouldnt be the "This winter 100s of old people died of cold/pneumonia" headlines that we get every winter.

But no, they spend it on presents/holidays etc. then say they cant afford to put the heating on.

Anyway, as you say, as long as the bills get paid why should they worry about it being in vouchers instead of cash?

bryanb

I receive state pension. I pay my utility bills by monthly direct debit. Would it be OK for me to allow my bills to mount up till the WFA is paid in December? I think not.
I therefor use my WFA as I please, even for my winter holiday!
The days of pensioners waiting at the PO every week for their pittance have long gone, we budget in the same way as everyone (well most folks)

Edit to add- We use our heating all year as needed!

Plushchris

bryanb wrote: »

I receive state pension. I pay my utility bills by monthly direct debit. Would it be OK for me to allow my bills to mount up till the WFA is paid in December? I think not.
I therefor use my WFA as I please, even for my winter holiday!
The days of pensioners waiting at the PO every week for their pittance have long gone, we budget in the same way as everyone (well most folks)

Edit to add- We use our heating all year as needed!

So what you are saying is you can afford your bills anyway and just spend your WFA on other things?

What if you didnt have to pay those direct debits in the winter months and you could pay with your vouchers or whatever instead?

Ken68

Once you voucherize a system,the payee is identified, probably contravening the data protection act.
And why do the energy companies put fuel poverty claimants on the standard tariff.An obvious attempt to grab a piece of the action.

Ken68

1carminestocky wrote: »

Well, my 79 year old father spent some of his winter fuel allowance on naughty women and some of it on alcohol. The rest he absolutely wasted IMO by paying his bloody gas bill with it....

....I bought some condoms, might mention this at our next Over 70's see if any of the wimmin want to share.