Winter Fuel Alllowance

Helen42

Think we all know that the government have reduced the amount of money they are paying out in the winter fuel allowance and for the fact that they stopped child benefit for people above a certain wage but didnt means test the Winter fuel allowance basically saying chidren dont need heat..... anyway sorry not what Meant to write I have copied and pasted an item below and have a question on it

"Most households are entitled to extra help with energy costs in winter if they have an occupant of qualifying age. This used to be 60 but now depends on when you were born, rising in line with the women's state pension age."[/FONT]:j

Ok my quesition is now the goverment have change the date again for the retirement age change are they going to change the dates for wfa as well please? If not why not and they should!!!!!!

sooperb

Well I don't have any facts but I know that last year hubby turned 60 and got his bus pass and WFA. This year when I turned 60 I was informed that I wouldn't be eligible for pension or bus pass until I am 61! So I suspect I won't get WFA either but then when the two of you are entitled you don't get double anyway.

Children can manage surprisingly well without heat. When we were children we lived in a house where only 1 fire was ever lit and that was downstairs in the living room. We often woke in winter to frost and icicles on the inside of the window! I seem to have survived, as do my grandchildren whose mother only puts on the heating in extremis as she is so worried about the fuel bills. They seem to survive )

Helen42

I too was was brought up in a tiny terraced house (8 of us in it) with only one fire and I also know what its like to be a lone parent bringing up a child and not being able to afford the heating so I know whats it is like to be bloomin cold to where you dont want to get out of bed in the morning to face that freezing air in the house you live in. In this day and age no one should have to live like I did as a child (sadly though they do). I know if I thought my grandchildren were cold and I got WFA I would make sure they got heat before me.

All I my real question is, are the government going to change the dates on the WFA like to bring it in line with the Pension age changes announced this week i.e. re date everything by 6 months.

sooperb

My son who works for the DWP say there are no plans to move the WFA age limits.

I have to say, whilst I appreciate your sentiments about not wanting your grandchildren to be cold, I would also say that if you are able to give away your WFA you don't really need it! And just so you know I am not some hard-hearted granny who would rather see her kith and kin freeze, I have bought my daughters heating oil any times and exhorted her to have the heating on. I, too, don't think they should be cold if it's preventable. While it never harmed me being so cold, it wasn't pleasant either, any more than having an outside toilet and only having a hot bath in the winter because that's when the fire was on to heat the water lol. And we only had one electric socket in the whole house.

I'll stop there before you start feeling sorry for me

Jemma-T

Last thing we need is people not having heat or they'll go to bed early and before you know it we'll have a population explosion!

People had to do something in olden days on cold nights. No Sky TV, iPhone, Facebook, condoms as thick as crisp packets etc etc.

I do miss my chimney sweep boy though. He might have only been 16 years of age but he always cleaned my pipes out well.

pineapple

You will be entitled to WFA when you reach state pension age - whatever that is in each persons case..

p00hsticks

sooperb wrote: »

My son who works for the DWP say there are no plans to move the WFA age limits.

I'm not sure about that - I think they already moving them in line with the increases to the state pension for women.

So this year, in order to qualify for the WFA, you need to have born on or before 5th January 1951 - which corresponds to the latest date on which a women would need to be born in order to be claiming a state pension during the key WFA period of September 2011.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensionsandretirementplanning/Benefits/BenefitsInRetirement/DG_198331

neverdespairgirl

sooperb wrote: »

I have to say, whilst I appreciate your sentiments about not wanting your grandchildren to be cold, I would also say that if you are able to give away your WFA you don't really need it!

You get it whether you need it or not, as with free prescriptions and a bus pass (in London, anyway).

rogerblack

With the upcoming 'Green Deal' - where you get 'free' insulation paid for in the future by a levy on your utility bill, it seems plausible that they'll be revisiting the whole area of legislation. (though you are guaranteed to pay less)

And indeed, they should!
'WFA' or similar are money that will be paid out forever, at an increasing rate if it's to keep pace with fuel inflation.
Sorting out peoples homes so they're better insulated and don't need the grants would make lots more sense, even if in the short term it's much more expensive.

Helen42

p00hsticks wrote: »

I'm not sure about that - I think they already moving them in line with the increases to the state pension for women.

So this year, in order to qualify for the WFA, you need to have born on or before 5th January 1951 - which corresponds to the latest date on which a women would need to be born in order to be claiming a state pension during the key WFA period of September 2011.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensionsandretirementplanning/Benefits/BenefitsInRetirement/DG_198331

Thats the way I read it too, which thanks poohsticks:beer:

Helen42

sooperb wrote: »

I have to say, whilst I appreciate your sentiments about not wanting your grandchildren to be cold, I would also say that if you are able to give away your WFA you don't really need it! D

I did not say I could afford to give it away I said I WOULD give it away to make sure my grandchildren have what they need I would put them and my son before me any day of the week.