Cold weather payments

[Deleted User]

One of my friends told me that the cold weather payments only kick in if there have been 7 consecutively below freezing days.What a cop out, as the temps only have to go over 0.00c for a fraction for them to be of no use whatsoever . Is this another Government con to keep the 'grey power' in its place ? I am sitting looking out at around 6-8 inches of snow and haven't been able to move my car since last Tuesday as I'm snowed in but if there is a glimmer of sunshine even if it doesn't thaw any snow, then its situation normal and the Gov. wins again it looks just like a spin story to me.

baccyman

if you use the post code link on this page it will tell you how many cold weather payments your are is entitled to,

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensionsandretirementplanning/Benefits/ConcessionsAndOtherHelp/DG_10018668

i have used this link and my area is supposed to have had 3 payments but i have only had one so i dont know if it can be relied on but it is also the governments site.

meerkat2007

My mother is entitled to cold weather payments, and according to that link, she is entitled to one payment. She has received nothing, so I've emailed the DWP and am awaiting their response.

[Deleted User]

As I have had best part of 8-10 inches of snow over the past 10 days apparently it has not been cold enough to warrant a cold weather payment even though my car has been unable to be used and I have been housebound virtually since last Tuesday, apart from hobbling to the Drs to pick up a presciption . I look out at my road in North Kent it is still full of hard packed snow and ice and my locaal shops all closed early last week because of the freezing weather.All of our local schools have been shut since Wednesday and I have had to keep my heating on because I have osteo arthritis in my joints, and a low immune system left as the after effects of chemo so I feel the cold rather badly. I worked from the age of 14 until retirement with only a short break to have my two children and my husband worked every day from the age of 14 also until he eventually retired at 68,he died two years later.No doubt about it our caring Government really know how to take care of their old folk.,luckily I have saved as well as working and as far as I'm concerned no matter what it costs I will be cold for no one,plus my two DDs would be horrified if I said I wouldn't turn on the heating. There are thousands worse off than me, and I appreciate everything that I have, but I do get cross when Government ministers pontificate about how well the elderly are treated and how much they do.They don't give a flying fig for the people of this country wether old or young able or as in my case disabled.
Rant over, I shall go back to being a sweet little old lady again

[Deleted User]

meerkat2007 wrote: »

My mother is entitled to cold weather payments, and according to that link, she is entitled to one payment. She has received nothing, so I've emailed the DWP and am awaiting their response.

I wouldn't hold your breath dear :mad:

Christoph_1

baccyman wrote: »

if you use the post code link on this page it will tell you how many cold weather payments your are is entitled to,

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensionsandretirementplanning/Benefits/ConcessionsAndOtherHelp/DG_10018668

i have used this link and my area is supposed to have had 3 payments but i have only had one so i dont know if it can be relied on but it is also the governments site.

Thank you for the link :beer:
Just checked my area and got this:

"The Met Office have notified the Department for Work and Pensions that no periods of very cold weather have occurred in the *** postcode area between 1 November 2009 and 8 January 2010 that would trigger a Cold Weather Payment. No Cold Weather Payments are due to be made."

We've been knee-deep in snow for over a week

meerkat2007

JackieO wrote: »

I wouldn't hold your breath dear :mad:

I've emailed them before about other things, and they have usually responded - with a real answer, not an automatic acknowledgement - within a few days.

Of course, that isn't to say they will again this time, given the circumstances at the moment.

Biggles

I wouldn't have thought many places in the South-East would qualify. I doubt if we've had a single day when the temperature stayed below freezing, never mind a week.

Sure, we have snow, but the Cold Weather Payment is for, well, cold weather. Not snow.

Now, if there was a Snow Payment, you'd be quids-in.
;-)

datostar

Biggles wrote: »

I wouldn't have thought many places in the South-East would qualify. I doubt if we've had a single day when the temperature stayed below freezing, never mind a week.
;-)

Well according to the postcode checker, Stevenage in Hertfordshire has qualified for THREE payments so far.

Biggles

Amazingly, my own town near the Suffolk coast, which has had very mild weather, shows as three periods, too. In fact most postcodes you care to put in seem to show three periods.

Very odd. I wonder if it's broken?

Christoph_1

Biggles wrote: »

I wouldn't have thought many places in the South-East would qualify. I doubt if we've had a single day when the temperature stayed below freezing, never mind a week.

Sure, we have snow, but the Cold Weather Payment is for, well, cold weather. Not snow.

Now, if there was a Snow Payment, you'd be quids-in.
;-)

Well excuse me but, my Mum lives in the South East, and has been snowed in for over a week and has had her central heating on full blast due to freezing temperatures, and does actually deserve the payment irrelevant as to what the Met Office say: they don't actually live in her area or foot the bill :rolleyes: