Vague but advice needed

cabbieman

Hello all. 

My neighbour has just informed me that she has never had central heating or a boiler. She’s 85 and her husband died a couple of years ago. She owns her house( very modest 3 bedroom) which they’ve lived in for 60 odd years. She has no savings and gets by on her pension just. She isn’t entitled to any benefits apparently. Her only heating is a gas fire which is fed via a bottle. 

I’m shocked at this, this can’t be right can it?
Does anyone have any ideas if this is right or is there anything she can do?

Thankyou

tooldle

Perhaps not so common now but certainly was not unusual for people of this age group. 
Does she want central heating? Quite a lot of disruption to install a new system. Would electric panel heaters be a compromise. Also worth looking to see what grant assistance might be available.

dunstonh

Your questions is probably best asked on the benefits board rather than the pensions board.

Silvertabby

My late parents were the same - central heating was only for 'soft southerners'.

They had a gas fire in the lounge, and electric heaters in the dining room and on the landing (heating in bedrooms is bad for you!).

Has your neighbour actually said that she needs more heating?  How does she heat her hot water?   Growing up, we filled our (upstairs) bath with hot water by means of a parade of kettles and saucepans - definitely not an option for an 85 year old.

LHW99

Is mains gas actually in the house? Many houses didn't have it 40+ years ago, and some don't even now. If she has to get British gas to lay a main, it would be more expensive even than just installing gas CH. 40 years ago it was also not uncommon to heat with paraffin stoves - definately not recommended.

bostonerimus

The lady in the post might qualify for some housing/heating benefit, I'd check with Citizens Advice or over on the benefits forum.

I was born in the 1960s and grew up in a house with no central heating, coal/coke fires and hot water came from either an electric emersion heater or a back boiler behind the fire. My mum went over to Dimplex electric radiators in each room and died in the house with that set up at age 92. Not ideal, and we tried to get her to move or install a better system, but she refused. 

xylophone

 Her means seem to be very modest - I wonder would she be entitled to pension credit?

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/large-print-factsheets/fs48-lp-pension-credit.pdf

It will increase from April as will the state pension.

https://metro.co.uk/2023/02/01/list-of-benefits-increasing-in-2023-from-universal-credit-to-pension-18202649/#:~:text=This benefit is given to,£92.40 to £101.75.

• Single person – from £182.60 to £201.05

GrubbyGirl_2

Contact AgeUK they were brilliant with my parents at making sure they got everything they were entitled to

Spoonie_Turtle

tooldle said:

Perhaps not so common now but certainly was not unusual for people of this age group. 
Does she want central heating? Quite a lot of disruption to install a new system. Would electric panel heaters be a compromise. Also worth looking to see what grant assistance might be available.

The most expensive form of hearing other than burning whichever £ notes are not yet plastic, not a good idea at all.

Storage heaters can be okay if set up and used properly, modern ones are apparently miles better than the old ones.


Benefits-wise, and for help to install heating if she wants, AgeUK as mentioned above is a good recommendation.

Has she had or applied for the £200 Alternative Fuel Payment?  Buying bottled gas would mean she qualifies.

tooldle

Spoonie_Turtle said:

tooldle said:

Perhaps not so common now but certainly was not unusual for people of this age group. 
Does she want central heating? Quite a lot of disruption to install a new system. Would electric panel heaters be a compromise. Also worth looking to see what grant assistance might be available.

The most expensive form of hearing other than burning whichever £ notes are not yet plastic, not a good idea at all.

Storage heaters can be okay if set up and used properly, modern ones are apparently miles better than the old ones.


Benefits-wise, and for help to install heating if she wants, AgeUK as mentioned above is a good recommendation.

Has she had or applied for the £200 Alternative Fuel Payment?  Buying bottled gas would mean she qualifies.

I appreciate that, but for someone of advanced years the lack of disruption from installing electric heaters may make them a more acceptable solution. Assuming of course the lady wishes to make any changes.

Newcad

You have to note that this winter some people have been turning off their central heating and just heating one room to save costs.
A gas (or even coal) fire if they have one, portable gas or electric heaters otherwise.

Just like we used to do back in the days before CH; keep the living room warm not the rooms that you are not using.