MSE News: Winter benefits face cuts in welfare shake-up

Joyful

Perhaps a way forward is to pay the money direct to the energy accounts such as the £80 rebate already given this year. As the government have now shared information with the energy companies for the first time this could happen again. They just need to decide on who gets the money.

Makeandsave

Plushchris wrote: »

I know of a fair few OAPs that use their "winter fuel allowance" to fund Christmas, their winter holiday or anything else they need to spend their money on other than fuel (and then moan about the cost of fuel)

I'm not saying I agree with the cuts but I just dont agree with how these payments are made in the first place as I'd bet a fair share of these payments do not get spent on the fuel they are meant for.

I also know a few that use it for other things and still moan about heating costs etc.

It should be means tested.

shegar

st999 wrote: »

What about the pensioners who have moved to the sun for the winter so they don't need to heat their house?

They still get the heating allowance.

Why should they get it when they don't even spend any money on heating?

And I know someone who does that as I keep an eye on their house while they are away and all I get is a bottle of vodka.

Id tell them to stuff it,,,

thats definately where the goverment should look at saving money, ive got a neighbour who is 84 yrs old and get £400 heating allowance, she as gas central heating which she never turns on , her gas bill is £34 every 3 month ,, the bungalow is freezing cold ..she put the money towards xmas presents..!!!!!

My husband is disabled and have to sit all day at 52 yrs old, he needs the heating on and feels the cold so much , disabled dont get the allowance...we have to have our heating on 14 hours a day....

cocktail

krisskross wrote: »

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But then all the pensioners who have provided for themselves are the losers once more. Those that have spent every penny they earned instead of saving get everything.

.

well quoted.
that is the backdraw of the benefit system. you take from those who can afford to give(forcibly) to those who cannot afford. socialism without the label. so as to put them both in the same boat.

Aternatively the rich pensioners can argue that they have paid into the system and are only getting back what they deserve.

means tested benefits would again benefit those who haven't or couldnt save for retirement. taking this benefit away from those who have had the sense to save or punishing them for it.

FATBALLZ

The winter fuel allowance is far more than my heating bill for the whole year. If you want to live somewhere with expensive running costs do it off your own back. It should be scrapped and never should have existed in the first place.

Cardew

The reason that winter fuel allowance wasn't means tested, according to the Government, was that the costs involved in means testing and monitoring the system would be greater than simply paying all those aged 60 a flat rate.

The trouble with any 'flat rate' allowance is that it is usually simply treated as income, rather than put aside to defray heating costs.


Don't pensioners still get a £10 Xmas bonus? Used for?

beecher2

FATBALLZ wrote: »

The winter fuel allowance is far more than my heating bill for the whole year. If you want to live somewhere with expensive running costs do it off your own back. It should be scrapped and never should have existed in the first place.

Let's see what your heating bill is when you're elderly, housebound and feeling the cold more than you used to but are unable to move around as much as before. You aren't comparing like with like.

I do believe there should be some sort of means testing - perhaps only those who receive cold weather payments should get it? I do think those who are suffering from cancer should receive it - they need it far more than the 60 year olds who are still working (and commuting in using their bus passes)

Rupert_Bear

I was looking forward at 60 to free prescription, eye tests, winter fuel allowance and a 10 percent discount from my local chinese takeaway. Looks like I will have to settle for the 10 percent from Mr Woo.

I was so close to these other benefits but yet so far now!

PS. Forgot the bus pass.

PPS. Also happy to make my sacrifice but I hope the so called scroungers whose only productivity is turning their significant halfs into baby making machines contribute as well.

summerof0763

shegar wrote: »

Id tell them to stuff it,,,

thats definately where the goverment should look at saving money, ive got a neighbour who is 84 yrs old and get £400 heating allowance, she as gas central heating which she never turns on , her gas bill is £34 every 3 month ,, the bungalow is freezing cold ..she put the money towards xmas presents..!!!!!

My husband is disabled and have to sit all day at 52 yrs old, he needs the heating on and feels the cold so much , disabled dont get the allowance...we have to have our heating on 14 hours a day....

again as i said previously if your disabled you dont get it,i literally freeze in the winter as i cannot afford my heating on,i stay in bed as long as i can to keep warm "some life"
most of the oaps round here dont need it,annoys me as i dont see the difference between an oap who can hardly get about,or someone who is disabled who can hardly get about,except age and i have a long way to go yet till i am a pensioner

Oneday77

Rather than give people the money. Why doesn't the Goverment clamp down on energy companies that bought the utilities for a song. Make them give relevant discounts to people who require the extra energy. They will still make a profit but less money needs to enter the pot to stay warm.

Also there should be caps on the mark up on Energy prices to benefit everyone, prevent last years high prices when cold and reduce when warm.