MSE News: State pension payout likely rise by £2.40 a week

seven-day-weekend

Dustangle wrote: »

They all get hundreds of pounds heating money each year, free bus travel, free TV licences and god knows what else so we should just scrap the five shillings and if anyone is still unhappy they should be told where to stick it, grumpy sods that they are. This was meant to be a humorous comment but no doubt some Daily Mail reading UKIP voting right wing wretch will take exception. Too bad.

over 75s only

margaretclare

kindofagilr wrote: »

Yes £125 isnt a lot, but its a lot more than non-oap's get.

It amazes me how OAP's get WFP and people on certain benefits get cold weather payments if the temp drops below a certain level

What about normal working people, who can only just afford to pay their bills every month? what about them when the weather gets freezing cold and they can't afford to put heating on?

What about people with babies and small children who need the heating on but they can't afford to?

I am sorry I am not ranting about the WFP as I think it is a good thing, but it irks me that the 'normal' working person gets left out all the time.

I agree with you, but I should point out that we did not ask for this. I've said from the beginning that it is a nonsense to get this in a lump in November, because the cheapest way to pay for fuel is by budget payments over the year. I don't know of anyone who buys their winter fuel in advance in one go? Actually, we've been paying £60 a month for gas and £30 for electricity for some time, and very recently we discovered that we were well in credit. DH phoned the provider and got 'oh do you want a refund?' 'You bet your sweet life we do!' So we've just had a little over £200 refund plonked back into the account from whence it came.

What you are proposing - working people, parents and children - means almost everyone except the very rich. So the most logical thing in this respect would be to bring down prices, rather than pay out benefits to the majority of the population.

kindofagilr

margaretclare - I totally agree with everything you said

Its all good and well the government saying they arent giving a pay increase etc etc but then they need to stop the fuel bills etc going up!

Jennifer_Jane

kindofagilr wrote: »

Yes £125 isnt a lot, but its a lot more than non-oap's get.

It amazes me how OAP's get WFP and people on certain benefits get cold weather payments if the temp drops below a certain level

What about normal working people, who can only just afford to pay their bills every month? what about them when the weather gets freezing cold and they can't afford to put heating on?

What about people will babies and small children who need the heating on but they can't afford to?

I am sorry I am not ranting about the WFP as I think it is a good thing, but it irks me that the 'normal' working person gets left out all the time.

Don't working people get Working Tax Credits unless they're earning over the limit - then there's also children's tax benefits and so on? If pensioners are so well off then why are so many on Pension Credit to bring up their minimum income (which is lower per annum than the minimum wage)?

Does anybody have a view on whether the change to BSP increases being linked to wage increases rather than CPI, will be beneficial to pensioners in the future? (I know that pensioners would be on considerably more if the BSP had been linked to wages in past years).

(I'm currently on the cusp of being able to get pension credit (so paying Council Tax and so on), and don't get the full amount of Basic State Pension.)

Jen
x

Jennifer_Jane

margaretclare wrote: »

I agree with you, but I should point out that we did not ask for this. I've said from the beginning that it is a nonsense to get this in a lump in November, because the cheapest way to pay for fuel is by budget payments over the year. I don't know of anyone who buys their winter fuel in advance in one go? Actually, we've been paying £60 a month for gas and £30 for electricity for some time, and very recently we discovered that we were well in credit. DH phoned the provider and got 'oh do you want a refund?' 'You bet your sweet life we do!' So we've just had a little over £200 refund plonked back into the account from whence it came.

What you are proposing - working people, parents and children - means almost everyone except the very rich. So the most logical thing in this respect would be to bring down prices, rather than pay out benefits to the majority of the population.

margaretclare - I'm inclined to ask what your point is about the fact that most people pay their bills monthly and we get the heating bill in November or so. The monthly fixed direct debit is just budgeting, but it still makes sense to receive the winter heating 'bonus' in winter when people do use more heating and if their quarterly bill arrives and they want to pay this off, then they are able to do so.

You mention your own circumstance for your utility bill. Mine was completely the opposite - paying too little each month (rather wisely, as it's effectively interest-free loan) and now having to repay that just as I'm about to get the heating allowance, and also in the process of switching utilities to be cheaper and get cashback.

My pet request is that I would prefer the leap in Personal Allowance at age 65 (effectively age 64 in some cases) to be 'smoothed' from age 60 upwards, and in fact, I would prefer to see an increased personal allowance for everybody and fewer tax credits.

Jen
x

kindofagilr

What gets to me more is when pensioners ring up in Nov/Dec asking where their WFP is, and we we unfortunatly tell them due to a error its delayed, they then complain because "they have christmas presents to buy with it" erm hello thats not what it is for.

And no Jennifer_Jane I dont get working tax credits and I am going to struggle to pay my heating bill this winter, as will millions of others who are too "well off" to get any help.

margaretclare

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

margaretclare - I'm inclined to ask what your point is about the fact that most people pay their bills monthly and we get the heating bill in November or so. The monthly fixed direct debit is just budgeting, but it still makes sense to receive the winter heating 'bonus' in winter when people do use more heating and if their quarterly bill arrives and they want to pay this off, then they are able to do so.

Mainly because I have been stung by comments from e.g. Dustangle and I wished to emphasise that we did not ask for any of these vote-catching hand-outs. We were not asked whether the arrival of this money in November is convenient or not. As we pay all household bills from a joint account, most go out on the 1st of every month, it would make sense - if we really have to have this - for this money to be paid into that particular account rather than half to each of us, but we were never asked.

Paying the same amount each month over the year means you do NOT get the big bills coming in at the end of winter. In any case, wouldn't it make more sense to pay it in March rather than November, because that's when you'd get the bill reflecting the winter's usage. It only makes sense getting it in November if you are going to pay for the whole winter's heating in one go. I suppose there are people who do that?

If it was means-tested we - DH and I - would not get it. Well, that's fine. But if it was to be paid on a means-tested basis then those who want it for Christmas presents have got their priorities wrong.

There have been several of these little hand-outs over recent years, as Dustangle points out. I repeat, we did not ask for them, and some of us, at least, do recognise what they were - vote-catchers.

kindofagilr

Just a thought and I mean no offense (honestly) but you can always refuse the WFP, if you feel so strongly about it?

seven-day-weekend

I agree that the heating allowance is merely a vote-catcher, however I will register to receive it once I am eligible.

I agree it would make more sense to receive it in March, so that those who pay quarterly bills will have the bill for the winter quarter.

EdInvestor

margaretclare wrote: »

Paying the same amount each month over the year means you do NOT get the big bills coming in at the end of winter. In any case, wouldn't it make more sense to pay it in March rather than November, because that's when you'd get the bill reflecting the winter's usage. It only makes sense getting it in November if you are going to pay for the whole winter's heating in one go. I suppose there are people who do that?

I'm quite happy to receive it in November in time for the first winter heating bill.As it happens I like to use my annual holiday enjoying some winter sun elsewhere so am often away for most of February and the first bill is thus usually higher than the second.

I am also not a fan of direct debits for utility bills as it is quite clear the utility companies are prone to unilaterally increasing the DD by amounts which may not reflect usage thereby awarding themselves an interest free loan at your expense and creating unnecessary and irritating admin when it has to be corrected.

Much easier to pay as you go through online banking I find, which attracts a discount from my supplier for prompt payment, so the price is competitive.