Winter Fuel Payment Increase?

brewerdave

I'd be quite happy if WFP was dropped for everyone - provided that the money went to genuinely needy pensioners - an increase in pension credit rates maybe?
On a separate note - I was balancing my current account this morning when I realised I was £10 out - I have been given a Xmas " bonus" by DWP (as a result of claiming my deferred SP apparently) -now that really is a total nonsense!!

JoeCrystal

brewerdave wrote: »

I'd be quite happy if WFP was dropped for everyone - provided that the money went to genuinely needy pensioners - an increase in pension credit rates maybe?
On a separate note - I was balancing my current account this morning when I realised I was £10 out - I have been given a Xmas " bonus" by DWP (as a result of claiming my deferred SP apparently) -now that really is a total nonsense!!

If only the Xmas bonus kept up with inflation, it would be £125 by now, that would be a nice Xmas bonus.

xylophone

If only the Xmas bonus kept up with inflation, it would be £125 by now, that would be a nice Xmas bonus.

Mr C says he thinks it should be increased but not by how much......

https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/jeremy-corbyn-ill-increase-governments-christmas-bonus-millions/

Silvertabby

“ If only the Xmas bonus kept up with inflation, it would be £125 by now, that would be a nice Xmas bonus.

xylophone wrote: »

Mr C says he thinks it should be increased but not by how much......

https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/jeremy-corbyn-ill-increase-governments-christmas-bonus-millions/


He's still waiting for Diane Abbott to do the sums ...... and waiting ....... and waiting.......

JezR

As a historical note, the Labour Government abolished the Christmas bonus in 1975, and subsequently re-introduced it at £10 almost at the last minute in 1977 in legislation passed in late November (having said as late as September that they weren't going to). Even by then this was roughly half the purchasing power it had been at the original introduction.

System

sheramber wrote: »

https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/what-youll-get
Circumstance
Born between 24 September 1938 and 5 November 1953 Born on or before
23 September 1938
You qualify and live alone (or none of the people you live with qualify) £200 £300
You qualify and live with someone under 80 who also qualifies £100 £200
You qualify and live with someone 80 or over who also qualifies £100 £150
You qualify, live in a care home and do not get certain benefits £100 £150

It depends what they mean by "live with". I think it must mean as a couple, not just "inhabit same house".



When my mother moved to our cottage/annexe in her last year she received the payment but it made no difference to mine.

brewerdave

Clifford_Pope wrote: »

It depends what they mean by "live with". I think it must mean as a couple, not just "inhabit same house".



When my mother moved to our cottage/annexe in her last year she received the payment but it made no difference to mine.

When my uncle moved back in with his elderly sister, they were both getting the £300 HOWEVER after he died the DWP told my aunt that they shouldn't have got £600 and actually clawed back the last Winter's payment altho' they used discretionary powers not to go further back.:(

Malthusian

brewerdave wrote: »

I'd be quite happy if WFP was dropped for everyone - provided that the money went to genuinely needy pensioners - an increase in pension credit rates maybe?

As it stands, a meaningful increase in pension credit rates would mean that those who hadn't paid National Insurance and didn't have other income would get more than those who paid for a full State Pension.

As it would be politically impossible to give more to pensioners who hadn't paid tax than those who had, you would therefore have to increase the New State Pension by the same amount, which would have almost no effect - it just means you've taken £200-odd off the Winter Fuel Allowance and added it back on to the State Pension. In theory it would be perfectly sensible as it would reduce admin, but it wouldn't be worth the political effort.

Silvertabby

“ It depends what they mean by "live with". I think it must mean as a couple, not just "inhabit same house".

When my mother moved to our cottage/annexe in her last year she received the payment but it made no difference to mine.
Originally posted by Clifford_Pope

brewerdave wrote: »

When my uncle moved back in with his elderly sister, they were both getting the £300 HOWEVER after he died the DWP told my aunt that they shouldn't have got £600 and actually clawed back the last Winter's payment altho' they used discretionary powers not to go further back.:(

Isn't it 'same household/boiler/bills' ? Did the annex have its own separate boiler/bills ?

Ganga

Just an update,i have still not had any notification from the D.W.P. regarding my winter fuel payment,so at this moment it stands at :-

Wife - £200

Me - £0

So we have still got our full allowance but no explanation as to why it has been paid the way it has.
Will update if anymore news