Money Moral Dilemma: Should residents turn over their Winter Fuel Payment?

PasturesNew

They are paying for their heating. Somebody's written down the heating bills in a spreadsheet, added it all up with other bills and come up with the weekly amount residents are to pay.

To take their heating allowance would be robbing them blind.

"Charity robs vulnerable people in double bills scam"

HappyMJ

No they should not hand it over.

Being in sheltered housing they're most likely in debt. DWP and council most likely have been recovering the debt from payments due to them so they may have been using their food money to pay the shortfall in rent in previous months so now they have this payment they can use it to buy food with.

Sheltered housing residents don't get very much money at all. Do they ever leave their home and go out or are they so poor all they can do is stay inside (their warm home) and watch TV. That's a very boring existence. Let the go out for the day with the money....or do whatever they want with it.

menshevik

Best to see winter fuel allowance 'in the round' as part of society keeping faith with a generation who, by and large, were brought up to do their best to stay in work, to contribute via PAYE & NI but not spend too much time looking for what they could get out of the system. Worth reading the words of Desiderata.

Bonjour13

Perhaps the OP would also like residents to tug their forelocks and say "thank you kindly, sir, for your charity"

True charity is not given in expectation of thanks, reward, or any return.

MummyGay

Absolutely not!! These are vulnerable people already!

missbiggles1

Bonjour13 wrote: »

Perhaps the OP would also like residents to tug their forelocks and say "thank you kindly, sir, for your charity"

True charity is not given in expectation of thanks, reward, or any return.

It may not be given in expectation of thanks but it would be very churlish for someone who benefits from it not to be grateful and thank the providers.

Cardew

In some posts there seems to be an assumption that all the residents of all sheltered accommodation are vulnerable. That simply isn't so - even in sheltered accommodation run by a charity. Many associations simply have charitable status.


http://www.ageuk.org.uk/home-and-care/thinking-about-your-options/sheltered-housing/


It is quite common for blocks of accommodation to consist of one central heating boiler supplying the resident's rooms, a common lounge and possibly a kitchen.


Residents can be a mix of 'downsizing' house owners, Ex Council house/Housing association tenants. Although I have no figures I suspect many of them pay a rent/servicing charge.

jorok

So many people seem to use their "Winter Fuel Payment" as a cash bonus it would be better to issue a voucher that was payable directly to fuel companies. So often, one partner gets help towards fuel bills, and the other partner just keeps the payment for personal expenditure - not at all what was intended for these payments
Also, those who felt they didn't need the payment would just throw the voucher away, and those who are not paying for fuel would not be misusing the payment either as the voucher would have no value to them.

[Deleted User]

Cimscate wrote: »

May you live a long and happy life and never need anyone else's help when you are old!!!

I m not condemning anyone with a booze problem. I m elderly enough myself now and like a drop as much as anyone else. I like to think I m a realist having lived alongside alcoholics and what their priorities are. Especially at xmas time there is extra pressure on people with all sorts of addictions, so I would think £200 is staying with the residents if you "ask " for a contribution. Maybe the OP should make it a house rule that a percentage of it should be handed over.

lilia_fellini

Tough one. Whoever pays the rent should be in receipt of the WFA in my opinion and spend it accordingly. If the residents live rent-free and therefore do not contribute to the heating costs, technically they should not be receiving the fuel allowance. It's a bit like receiving disability benefit when you are not disabled - in this instance the charity should receive these contributions and spend them towards heating. However if they pay their own rent, then they do pay the heating bills through it, and therefore should certainly keep the fuel allowance. If the heating bills go up (or down), the charity should adjust the rent in line with the changes. But since the residents receive the WFA regardless of whether they actually spend on winter fuel or not, if they live rent-free, it is fair to suggest they donate WFA to charity that supports them.