MSE News: Households to get £400 boost to help with rising energy bills

porter098

I don’t think they are uprating benefits by inflation, which would be say 10%. Is this method more expensive for them or cheaper than the benefits up-rate? I’m just talking about about the grants to people on benefits, not the £400 everyone gets. 

polymaff

QrizB said:

If they are well off enough to pay tax, they can Gift Aid it to a registered charity and the charity will get £500 out of the deal.

Most, if not all, of these payments are tax-free.  A matter of conscience, I suppose.. 

rangout

For those wondering if this applies to renters with service charges, or living in park homes, it looks like it doesn't apply to us - Page 18 Households Without a Domestic Supply Contract

It does say they are exploring other options, so things might change

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1068148/energy-bills-support-scheme-consultation.pdf

polymaff

Ultrasonic said:

polymaff said:

Ultrasonic said:

polymaff said:

Martin Lewis said:

"A £300 'Pensioner Cost of Living Payment' top-up will be paid in November or December to the 8 million UK households in receipt of the Winter Fuel Payment. For most, it will be paid by direct debit."

I know that this is an exact copy from the HM Treasury web-site, but isn't this utter nonsense?

In what way are you confident it is nonsense?

Direct Debits allow the receiver of the transfer to order a payment from the payee's account.  I doubt that that is what 8 million pensioners will do - or the government permit.  Might be an idea to try it though.  £10billion, perhaps?

Seriously, though, just think about it.  This tosh is put up - maybe also proof-read - by those incapable of judging whether it is right.  And the media just take it without noticing that it is nonsense.

Who has ever received their Winter Fuel Payment by Direct Debit?

It is Marriage Allowance Transfer all over again.

Ah, you were specifically picking up on the DD element! You may have a point  .

Yes, and I may be the only one to have noticed this.  Listening to the media this evening it is all the blind leading the blind.  Martin / Sophie missed it;  and there may be other errors which don't stick out like this one.

QrizB

polymaff said:

QrizB said:

If they are well off enough to pay tax, they can Gift Aid it to a registered charity and the charity will get £500 out of the deal.

Most, if not all, of these payments are tax-free.  A matter of conscience, I suppose.. 

OK, perhaps I should have said "they can keep the tax-free £400 but Gift Aid £400 of their taxed income"?

Ultrasonic

polymaff said:

Ultrasonic said:

polymaff said:

Ultrasonic said:

polymaff said:

Martin Lewis said:

"A £300 'Pensioner Cost of Living Payment' top-up will be paid in November or December to the 8 million UK households in receipt of the Winter Fuel Payment. For most, it will be paid by direct debit."

I know that this is an exact copy from the HM Treasury web-site, but isn't this utter nonsense?

In what way are you confident it is nonsense?

Direct Debits allow the receiver of the transfer to order a payment from the payee's account.  I doubt that that is what 8 million pensioners will do - or the government permit.  Might be an idea to try it though.  £10billion, perhaps?

Seriously, though, just think about it.  This tosh is put up - maybe also proof-read - by those incapable of judging whether it is right.  And the media just take it without noticing that it is nonsense.

Who has ever received their Winter Fuel Payment by Direct Debit?

It is Marriage Allowance Transfer all over again.

Ah, you were specifically picking up on the DD element! You may have a point  .

Yes, and I may be the only one to have noticed this.  Listening to the media this evening it is all the blind leading the blind.  Martin / Sophie missed it;  and there may be other errors which don't stick out like this one.

I suspect most are focusing on the more important aspects in the first instance.

polymaff

QrizB said:

polymaff said:

QrizB said:

If they are well off enough to pay tax, they can Gift Aid it to a registered charity and the charity will get £500 out of the deal.

Most, if not all, of these payments are tax-free.  A matter of conscience, I suppose.. 

OK, perhaps I should have said "they can keep the tax-free £400 but Gift Aid £400 of their taxed income"?

I'd anticipated that with my "conscience" - and the smiley.  To me it is a bit murky and not what Gift Aid was meant to be.  Just my opinion.  When discussing a similar topic (making a quick profit from gas privatisation) with a very lefty work-colleague he said "oh well, you can afford to have a conscience!".  I guess so..

polymaff

Ultrasonic said:

polymaff said:

Ultrasonic said:

polymaff said:

Ultrasonic said:

polymaff said:

Martin Lewis said:

"A £300 'Pensioner Cost of Living Payment' top-up will be paid in November or December to the 8 million UK households in receipt of the Winter Fuel Payment. For most, it will be paid by direct debit."

I know that this is an exact copy from the HM Treasury web-site, but isn't this utter nonsense?

In what way are you confident it is nonsense?

Direct Debits allow the receiver of the transfer to order a payment from the payee's account.  I doubt that that is what 8 million pensioners will do - or the government permit.  Might be an idea to try it though.  £10billion, perhaps?

Seriously, though, just think about it.  This tosh is put up - maybe also proof-read - by those incapable of judging whether it is right.  And the media just take it without noticing that it is nonsense.

Who has ever received their Winter Fuel Payment by Direct Debit?

It is Marriage Allowance Transfer all over again.

Ah, you were specifically picking up on the DD element! You may have a point  .

Yes, and I may be the only one to have noticed this.  Listening to the media this evening it is all the blind leading the blind.  Martin / Sophie missed it;  and there may be other errors which don't stick out like this one.

I suspect most are focusing on the more important aspects in the first instance.

e.g. building their houses on sand.  Let's leave it at that.

Maskface

Rishi Sunak has said cost of living support delivering hundreds of pounds to every household will have a "minimal impact" on inflation - and suggested those who do not need it could give the money to charity.


Would it not make more sense to just not give it to those who don't need it? Or is that far too obvious?

GingerTim

Maskface said:

Rishi Sunak has said cost of living support delivering hundreds of pounds to every household will have a "minimal impact" on inflation - and suggested those who do not need it could give the money to charity.


Would it not make more sense to just not give it to those who don't need it? Or is that far too obvious?

The bureaucracy of assessing who is and isn't eligible would make the whole scheme more expensive than just making it a blanket grant.