MSE News: Winter fuel payments cut in secret Budget measure

NASA_2

sardine wrote: »

Why should they? Everybody is responsible for themselves.

My point exactly.

Take the WFA off everyone who gets it and dont award it to anyone else.

sardine

Marisco wrote: »

Yes, my mother also always worked, and only gave up when arthritis struck and she couldn't use her hands. But most of my aunties didn't, they were "housewives". I'm sure for all those who worked, there were an equal amount who never, and it would be the likes of those who need the help. I do understand this argument about saving and pensions etc, but there were many people who simply couldn't save on the wage they had, and paying into a private pension (unless it was a works one) would also be out of the question. What I cannot understand is the assumption that anyone who didn't make provision for old age, is/was !!!!less and a waster!!!

Reading some of the posts about what some spend the WFA on is a disgrace. Far better it be means tested and given to someone who needs it!! And I speak as someone who would lose it, if means testing came in!! But I wouldn't mind, so long as it went to someone who needs it! Same with bus passes as well.

My wife worked full time up until her mid twenties. Then we had the children. Her job was at home to look after them. When they had reached 18, she did a considerable amount of voluntary work - sometimes in excess of 40hrs pw. This carried on until she reached 60 and started to receive the pittance of an OAP. Limited because there she had a full time job with the children which carried no rights to a pension and voluntary work gave her no rights to a pension either.

If she had gone to work, she would have received a bigger pension, but has been penalised for working for nothing for 15 years!!

sardine

NASA wrote: »

My point exactly.

Take the WFA off everyone who gets it and dont award it to anyone else.

I absolutely agree with you. Very few, including myself and my fatther, actually use it for the purpose it was given.

We already budget for the winter months in the monthly DD.

Either the grandchildren see the benefit of it, or it goes towards the winter break in the sun.

sardine

margaretclare wrote: »

I completely agree with you.

I usually come in for a lot of criticism, though, if I express these types of opinion.

Recently I was sent a renewed bus pass. I was surprised, as I'd assumed I'd have to apply to have it renewed and had already decided I didn't want it. I also get a blue badge, but always have to re-apply for that and send an up-to-date photo. The bus pass - no. I'd only used it once in 5 years so it was pointless. I sent it back. I told the Over 50 board in a thread headed 'Bus passes again' and I got some severe criticism.

Again I agree with you. I only use my bus pass because it is there. Thinking well I might as well use it. But to be honest the idea of waiting at a bus stop in the cold weather in order to pick up a few things at the shops fills me with dread. UGGGhh. Much prefer to use the car any day.

But hey, it's free so why not. Mind you my wife refuses point blank to use public transport and mention 'bus pass' to her is like a red rag to a bull!!! I'm not letting people know I am over 60!!! (68 in fact!)

I don't see why it can't be issued only to those on Pension Credit.

FATBALLZ

Ah yes, Winter Fuel Allowance, proof that pensioners are just as much an 'entitled to' generation as all the others they hypocritically acuse. Nothing more than a vote-buying bribe and should be scrapped. If you can't afford your heating bill, move somewhere cheaper to heat. I pay £15 a month (approx), the WFA would pay my bill for more than a year, never mind just winter.

And if this is the worst thing in the budget, Mr Osbourne has done a bloody good job.

blue_monkey_2

First, to the lady whose electric is £82 a month. What size house are you heating?

If you have a big house then why can you not downsize if you cannot afford fuel to heat a house of that size. Sorry if people think that is out of order, but if you own your own house and it becomes unaffordable, surely it's easier to move somewhere you can afford. Just like if a big car gets too expensive to run, you change it. We have a 3 bed house, our Gas/Elec was £150 with SP but we just switched to EDF and it's gone down to £100 a month. BIG difference. And this is for a 3 bedroom house - and for all the winter months the heating is on 21 ave day and night 24/7.

Back to the WFA. My mother has been on the phone today asking about the WFA and if she will be getting it. I told her I did not know. What I do know however is that she has a HUGE amount of money in the bank from the pretty recent sale of her house and she doesn't need it, she just wants it. It'll just go in the bank with the rest of it.

I also know someone who'll soon be getting it, they also get sick pay and said to us 'I am glad I qualify for sick pay and not have to sign on, else I'd not be able to go to Spain and overseas so often'. They have a house in Spain too and no doubt they'll get it too.

I too think it should be means tested. The lsat Governemtn did loads of things to screw the new Goverment when they knew they were going to lose and it is shamefull, making maintenaince payment except from being used in benefits, putting up the WFA. These 2 things alone make it look like the Torys/LD are screwing the old people and single parents out of their entitlements if they put them back to what they were. Shameful if you ask me.

The sad fact is, if all the people who COULD afford it, gave up their right to take it, the pensioners in dire need might be given more. But that will never happen.

sardine

skcollobcat10 wrote: »

You must live in a shoebox paying £15 per month.

I feel only pensioners and disabled should receive the winter fuel allowance. It should not matter whether they get pension credit or not or if somebody is on income support or not.

That is fine, it is your opinion and you are entitled to voice it.

But when we have posters on here including myself, being open and honest about what we actually use the WFA for, is there not a case to restrict it somewhere? And given that most of us have a monthly budget account with the fuel providers that covers the summer months as well as the winter ones, exactly what is the need for the WFA? The annual bill is spread over a equal 12 monthly payments.

The only time I can see a problem is if someone is one a quarterly meter and has a shock in Feb!!

I would hesitate a guess that at least 30% of all pensioners receiving WFA have no need for it (for the purpose it is given). I do wonder that if the government ever realised this attitude exists they would make it payable only with Pension Credit!

sunnyone

skcollobcat10 wrote: »

I've already had the lofts insulated and because the house is made of granite and listed it cannot have wall insulation. I'm not very environmentally friendly so blame me for the carbon emissions .

Its a large house, I do have all the radiators off in the bedrooms but those granite houses do not retain the heat like newer houses and when it goes cold its really cold. I can have all my central heating on and in the winter each year, not just last years bad winter the thermometer is only at 15 degrees, so in the room I live in during the day I also have the coal fire on. I did look into selling and downsizing but it is so difficult to get a house with adequate sized rooms and hallways to get the wheelchair around and also because I have adapted this house I don't yet want to have to do it all again in a new house just yet.

Same here but ours is only five bedrooms for the three of us and ours is stone and not granite.

When you are severly disabled and need the extra space for powerchairs and other disability equipment a small house just isnt big enough and unlike many both skcollobcat and my self fully fund our our homes and heating.

Adapting a house certainly insn't cheap and I have spent over £5k just to make sure that I can get around, get to the diffrent levels and have suitable showers/baths/toilets etc.

sunnyone

skcollobcat10 wrote: »

I don't think others understand until they themselves are in the same situation as us.

I truelly hope that they are never in this situation, I wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy.

Money_Saving_Dude

Surely the most sensible thing to do is to Nationalise the utilities. It has been nothing but an excuse to push investment onto the many rather using income tax to fund investment, as it used to be done.

Also, a nationalised industry can be controlled by politicians, rather than the markets. Using the markets is fine if they are truly flexible. But as the few companies work in a monopoly where they are effectively a cartel, normal market mechanisms don't work.

The private sector has its place; it's just that that place is not the utilities.