Heating oil rebate

ASM1962

3 months since announcing the £400 electricity/gas grant, the UK Government have still not advised when those using oil for their heating will receive any assistance or how it will be rolled out.

I believe it will be a measily £100 which will but about 1 week worth of oil (current ppl is approx £0.95) and won't be of much assistance if we get a bad winter.

Does anyone have any idea what is happening with regards to this grant? 

Apodemus

ASM1962 said:

I believe it will be a measily £100 which will but about 1 week worth of oil (current ppl is approx £0.95) and won't be of much assistance if we get a bad winter.

Hmmm... Bad winter?  In my part of UK, we would normally expect frosts from the start of October, at which time the high ground would see the first snow.  So far the coldest we've had is 3C (last night) and one previous 4C a couple of weeks ago.  So in my book we are already six weeks into winter with surprisingly warm weather so far.   Even if it all turns much colder in January/February, the winter heating season for me is already six weeks shorter than normal and I've already saved much more than £100 in oil use.

Qyburn

ASM1962 said:

3 months since announcing the £400 electricity/gas grant, the UK Government have still not advised when those using oil for their heating will receive any assistance or how it will be rolled out.

I believe it will be a measily £100

If you have an electricity supply you should be getting the £400 as well. Assuming it ever happens, the mythical £100 will be as well as the £400, not instead.

Linsomer

I just spoke to Octopus - no one knows anything about the £100 discretionary oil payment 
They are also confused about the Warm Home Discount as changed this year 
Thirdly, no idea when I'm receiving the Winter Fuel Allowance apart from "by 13 January"
So yes, all ok with electricity but can't pay £440 to get heating oil - my tank is almost empty and will seize up so can't use it
This pensioner is huddled in blankets in my cold countryside home

Rodders53

Linsomer said:

but can't pay £440 to get heating oil - my tank is almost empty and will seize up so can't use it
This pensioner is huddled in blankets in my cold countryside home

So you've had all Summer to save up for 500 litres of oil but have failed to do so, especially as prices got to well over £500 at one point? 
Presumably you have saved enough for half that much £220 (as oil has roughly doubled since last year) and you do save up for oil purchases?
Have you had the £150 council tax rebate (assuming a band D or below) that could have gone towards oil?  {= £370}

Are you receiving all the benefits you are entitled to?  Claim them if not!  They could entitle you to more cost of living help.  Councils have discretionary funds.  Perhaps you can apply for a contribution from them?

Or how about a short term Loan to pay for the oil as you will get the WFP in November or December (with the 13th January the date to chase the DWP for it) to pay the loan back in full.  (e,g, a Credit Union).  My oil suppliers now accept credit card payments.  My last fill on 1st Nov (ordered a week or so before) has now just been billed and payment is due on 9th December.  I might have my WFP by then if I'm lucky, but I am fortunate enough to have savings put aside for this sum anyway.

The extra £100, now £200 for 'off mains gas' users like us has still not been detailed and may or may not be paid via the electricity suppliers (who may not pass it as cash back to us anyway, just credit it to the leccy account?)

Linsomer

Save up? Credit Union?  Really?
If this is the calibre of forumites,  then  coming off this site.

mmmmikey

Linsomer said:

Save up? Credit Union?  Really?
If this is the calibre of forumites,  then  coming off this site.

Perhaps another way of phrasing this would be to ask how you have paid for your heating oil in the past? For example, were you in the habit of putting a bit of money in a jar (or savings account) once a week/month so you had the money ready when the time came to buy the oil? Or use a credit card and then pay it off as and when you could afford? Or just "take the hit" in the month you needed to buy the oil and accept you'd have a month with little money for anything else?

The underlying point here is that, however you do it, if the price of oil has, say, doubled you should at least be able to buy half the amount of oil that you used to. Of course this is far from ideal but it is something to think about.

If you just haven't got enough money to make ends meet (and you certainly wouldn't be alone in that) then there are other options to explore along the lines in the previous post, hopefully keeping you warm until the Government finally gets its act together on the payout, which on a positive note is now going to be £200 rather than £100.

Linsomer

I last paid 19p pl

You can't buy half as minimum permitted purchase is 500 litres

I don't use credit cards, live within my means and top up annually with combined winter fuel allowance and Warm Home Discount.
I think this brings the conversation to an end and I am coming off this site 

mmmmikey

Linsomer said:

I last paid 19p pl

You can't buy half as minimum permitted purchase is 500 litres

I don't use credit cards, live within my means and top up annually with combined winter fuel allowance and Warm Home Discount.
I think this brings the conversation to an end and I am coming off this site 

Really sorry you feel that way. I know you're in a horrible situation and hope you manage to get something sorted.

QrizB

Linsomer said:

I last paid 19p pl

Oil hasn't been that cheap for what, two and a half years now? And it's been the price it is now for pretty much tyhe whole year.

(Chart from Boilerjuice.)

I don't use credit cards, live within my means and top up annually with combined winter fuel allowance and Warm Home Discount.

I don't want to sound harsh, but if you've failed to budget for oil you're not living within your means.