Winter fuel payment petition

GlasweJen

DLA is supposed to pay for care or mobility needs, not heating. My care needs cost more than my DLA so I got a job and get tax credits and pay for it that way. I realise that not every person can get a job but sometimes you have to struggle through.

krisskross

mellc wrote: »

and if you think its so easy to cut back by £5.00 a week then you obviously don't know what its like for £5.00 to make a difference whether you eat at the end of the week or not

When our children were small they were very upset when we had to get rid of the television because we were so hard up we couldn't afford the licence fee.

You can afford a computer, internet access plus TV and licence no doubt. I am sure £5 worth of economies could be made there if absolutely necessary.

richard9991

mobility component is self explanatory the link below tells yo exactly what dla is for no mention of heating
http://www.falkirk.gov.uk/services/social_work/community_care/community_advice_service/dla/dla_personal_care.aspx#3

FabSascha

I'm truly astounded to read all these posts. It's all very sad. What I find so difficult to accept is the resentment that's coming through towards people with disabilities! Also, that's such a general term so when I use it, I'll be referring to those who are significantly impaired. I have a nerve and muscle wasting problem so my circulation is absolutely diabolical. The only way I can get any feeling into my leg is to direct heat from either an electric heater or a hairdryer on to the leg to force the circulation to kick in. I would massively benefit from extra help around this time and do feel that it’s unfair that I don’t get any extra help. I DO NOT resent WFP being paid to those over 60, however I think the government’s approach is very slap-dash. I know of people over 60 who would quite happily give up this payment, but take the attitude that they may as well take it, since if they don’t someone else will. I think it would be so much better for all involved if it was means-tested in a realistic fashion so that only those who really desperately need it receive it. I know this would no doubt be expensive to start with, but surely much more beneficial in the long run. I realise that DLA is perceived as a benefit to help towards heating costs, which is does most of the year because all year around my heating costs are higher – even in the summer months I have the electric heater focused on my dodgy leg – but when my heating costs go through the roof, the DLA doesn’t increase to cover this extra charge.

What’s so upsetting is the resentment, generalisations and judgements occurring in this thread. There will always be the ‘mickey taker’ benefit receiver, but we’re all individuals and from my experience on this forum, we’re all supposed to be here to advise and guide each other, not attack. I truly love this site because I can always come here for good, mostly unbiased advice. Any new member who came on tonight and read the posts in this thread would think twice before posting about anything personal for fear of being judged and attacked, which I don’t think is what this site is (or should be) about. So give it a rest :rotfl:

willa

Whoever it was that pointed out that we're all better off than the people in Haiti is quite right.
I would like to say that I do not begrudge pensioners any help they get at all!
I don't really think anybody would?
I am merely sick of people whingeing about what people who are less well off than themselves get!
Anyway, as always on planet earth, everything's relative.

bluebluecow

I have signed as I thought that being on a low income, Im on ib as I have HMJS, CFS, on a walking stick but becuase I can walk 200m with my sick I dont qualify for DLA. I am also Full Time Carer for my son who is autistic has joint problems, developmental delay and cant walk far due to joint pain, he gets dla. I phone up and was told that if I had been on JSA or IS then I would of recived £50 for the temp drop of -0 for 14 days, but Imnot so we get nothing.

My husband works nights as we need him in the day to help with the care for us, so he is on minimum pay, he is a care assistant. I have had to have the heating on more, as having to be in as schools where shut, so my son wasnt at school.

So I say yes we should get something, Im not talking about the £250 wfa. But the £25 if the temp drops.

By the way, my mum and dad both work full time, in a job where the job pays for the heating costs ect and since they are both over 60 they got the £250, they earn individually more then we do in total

liz

krisskross

carlislelass wrote: »

why not pay WFA after xmas when highest bills are due, would at least stop some using for xmas.....waits for deluge of complaints!

If those in receipt of WFA are paying their fuel bills where is your issue? Most of my pensioner friends pay all their bills weekly at the post office. I have never encountered a group of people so concerned with never owing anyone a penny even.

It may well be that pensioners used not to be able to buy Christmas presents etc because of knowing they had to save money for the high winter fuel bills. Now they know there is help with the energy bills they can afford Christmas.

When everyone on DLA can assure us that not one single penny is spent on anything other than care or mobility needs, certainly nothing as frivolous as Christmas then it will be appropriate to complain that pensioners might actually enjoy a bit of festive cheer because they have that extra money. I guess none of you on DLA buy Christmas gifts or extra food do you? I do however remember reading that it is paid on care needs not necessary to actually have or pay for the care. I would expect that DLA payments tend to go into the bank account and it would be very difficult to say exactly what every penny was spent on. It just becomes part of the household income for many recipients.

dexterlivi

Hi

My wife is on higher rate DLA and incapacity benefit. We are grateful for those benefits as they make a difference to the household income after having to give up a good salary due to disability and illness. Despite having a disabled and very poorly wife I would not be comfortable in asking tax payers for more.We factor her benefits into our budgeting which includes fuel bills.

On another note I think that the government would be better paying the winter fuel allowance direct to the fuel companies. I am sure that many people welcome the payment when it drops into their bank account but it is not always used to pay for the fuel bill. Then when bill does come in they sruggle to pay.Paying direct to companies would ensure that the money is used for its intended purpose.

krisskross

dexterlivi wrote: »

On another note I think that the government would be better paying the winter fuel allowance direct to the fuel companies. I am sure that many people welcome the payment when it drops into their bank account but it is not always used to pay for the fuel bill. Then when bill does come in they sruggle to pay.Paying direct to companies would ensure that the money is used for its intended purpose.

This would not be a problem, after all we do all need to pay for the energy we use. It would work well if there was just one supplier of energy. But how would you split the payment? It would just be another level of paperwork that would need to be paid for. I change my energy supplier if there is a better deal available.

Making the payment to the household is the cheapest way of doing it. Very similar to how DLA is paid to the individual and they then decide how to spend it. There was a huge kerfuffle recently when it looked a possibility that care DLA be stopped and the money given to the local authority who would decide what the person needed.

GlasweJen

I hope DLA never stops going to individuals because social services would never grant me the support I need and all of my money goes to private caring firms, I was once told by a social worker that I "only" blackout, I was 14 at the time and they were assessing me for a taxi to school (some 7.5 miles away) and it was refused and I had to get the school bus every morning even though none of the escorts (there were 3 double decker buses) would let me sit downstairs where they sit (boys downstairs, girls upstairs) nor would they come upstairs if I had an episode. I once even ended up at a bus depot because I had an episode at the back of the bus and no one bothered to look before the bus drove off.

I wouldn't trust social services for 3 seconds to get my care needs right.