Winter fuel payment: don't miss out!

Mr_C_10

tricia2673 wrote:

I receive this fuel payment but my husband has now turned 60, does this mean he gets it also, or is a one payment per household.

He should have received a claim form, get one from the helpline (08459 151515) or from the DWP website, link is on here.

Skiduck

how about the government giving every pensioner a free energy efficiency survey and possible grant, rather than making them apply for it!
No one can argue with me that they don't know where each pensioner lives.

musicmargaret

My mother (who is over 80) came to live with us last November. I have had to give up my part-time job to look after her. Our gas bills have increased because we have to have the central heating on all day. Can we claim the heating allowance? We are both in our 50's. My husband is disabled.

Skiduck

I believe you can't margaret - your husband may be entitled to a few pennies.
The best advice I can give you is to go for loft and cavity insulation grants rather than a fuel grant.

musicmargaret

Carers must save the government a fortune. Since coming to live with us, my mother will not only have lost the fuel allowance, she has also lost her pension credit, independent living allowance and many other benefits. The only thing we have gained is peace of mind that she is being looked after properly and that she is not in a vulnerable position any more.

Skiduck

musicmargaret wrote:

Carers must save the government a fortune. Since coming to live with us, my mother will not only have lost the fuel allowance, she has also lost her pension credit, independent living allowance and many other benefits. The only thing we have gained is peace of mind that she is being looked after properly and that she is not in a vulnerable position any more.

I agree with what you say, however our government has never looked at it that way for quite a few years. The needy get help, but if you want help, you have to put yourself in a "needy" position, that position depends on what the policies are in issue at the time, unfortunately. I'm starting to sound like a PC soupbox polatician - I don't mean too. What you have done is basically told the state that you are willing to care for your mother, lessening their load and now you want some money off them, they won't play ball, as long as you have an income to support it.
They would rather pay for immagrant housing in the hope for cheap labour and a better GNP.
Soupbox rant over - honestly

in_my_wellies

I was told that Gordan Brown is stopping the Fuel Allowance. Is this info wrong or is it happening next year? My DH is 60 on 25th Sept so just misses it this year.

Skiduck

in_my_wellies wrote:

I was told that Gordan Brown is stopping the Fuel Allowance. Is this info wrong or is it happening next year? My DH is 60 on 25th Sept so just misses it this year.

If I was honest with you, in my line of work, they chop and change the grants and allowences so much - it may seem like fantastic news one moment, but it's changed to some other grant or allowence the next - the beauracracy is unbelievable - it makes you think, are they trying to tempt you with a bit of cheese and give you wood???

in_my_wellies

Yes, I agree, and it seems my DH and I just miss out on every benefit and just have to pay every new one.

I was born in Feb 1956 so I'm in the first batch of women that has to work all the way till 65. At the same time my last child couldn't start school till after Easter, then they changed the rule the following year so he could have started two terms sooner and gave out child care vouchers and all sorts! If my daughter was 3 days older she would not be borrowing £3000 uni tuition fees.

But then again .......... Sorry, rant over!

Oh, and they stopped mortgage tax relief the year we got one and married persons tax allowance the year we got married.

musicmargaret

What I was trying to say was that the Government wouldn't be any worse off by paying her the fuel allowance because she used to get that when she lived alone. It is just difficult for us to pay the increased fuel charges, particularly because they have gone up any way and also because I am no longer working and I am not eligible for the carer's allowance.