We are £1326.26 in credit with our gas and electric, should we ask for it back?

EssexHebridean

HedgehogRulez said:

Robin9 said:

Perhaps the Support Manager could make this fun and provide an incentive.  The support manager would have to do this not the residents.

 

Why can’t the residents incentivise themselves? Saving money is its own reward.

Well for a start we have no knowledge of why they need to be in supported living arrangement - it may be for example that although the OP evidently had a decent grasp of - and understanding of - basic home finance, the housemates may not, and may not be able to grasp such an understanding either. That in itself if frustrating for the OP as can be seen from what they have written. 

The judgement being shown by some responders to this thread is breathtaking - if you live your normal offline lives like this, I feel deep sympathy for your friends and family. Please - if you are considering posting on the thread and all you have to give is judgement not help, just move on. Preferably to another forum entirely.

LightFlare

EssexHebridean said:

HedgehogRulez said:

Robin9 said:

Perhaps the Support Manager could make this fun and provide an incentive.  The support manager would have to do this not the residents.

 

Why can’t the residents incentivise themselves? Saving money is its own reward.

Well for a start we have no knowledge of why they need to be in supported living arrangement - it may be for example that although the OP evidently had a decent grasp of - and understanding of - basic home finance, the housemates may not, and may not be able to grasp such an understanding either. That in itself if frustrating for the OP as can be seen from what they have written. 

The judgement being shown by some responders to this thread is breathtaking - if you live your normal offline lives like this, I feel deep sympathy for your friends and family. Please - if you are considering posting on the thread and all you have to give is judgement not help, just move on. Preferably to another forum entirely.

I think the posting history may be a cause of some responses 

I think it’s ok for tax payers to question how their money is being spent - all to often it just gets accepted and not questioned for fear of upsetting someone

MWT

LightFlare said:

I think it’s ok for tax payers to question how their money is being spent - all to often it just gets accepted and not questioned for fear of upsetting someone

There is a time and a place for that, and it is not this thread...

QrizB

Getting back to the topic in hand ...

@williewonder who's name is on the gas bill? Is it yours, one of your housemates or is it addressed to a support worker?

Whoever is named should be reading the gas meter regularly (once a month) and sending those readings through to OVO Energy.

Are OVO also your electricity supplier? Do you have estimated electricity bills too?

KxMx

It's sad that some people feel anything other than sympathy for a vulnerable member of the forum who clearly has severe mental illness, is unable to look after themselves and doesn't have capacity to manage their own money. 

It would be much more expensive to care for OP as an inpatient or in residential care. 

Too many seem to have a very outdated and unkind view that we disabled people should be grateful for crumbs from the tax payer banqueting table and accept living in poverty, despite the fact that we never chose to be unwell. 

I'd much rather give up my disability benefits and be healthy like my peers who are able to work, are in relationships and have children, drive & live in bigger homes. Most of those things are simply impossible for me for medical reasons. 

I consider myself fortunate though that I have capacity to know what I'm missing out on - others more unwell than I don't even have that. 

All too often people ignorantly focus on the money & ignore the reasons why that money is paid in the first place.

They'd happily take the money but not the life that comes alongside it  While at the same time condemning the financial support I and others need to manage that life. 

born_again

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6564550/because-i-have-a-deputyship-at-social-services-are-uc-likely-to-ask-for-bank-statements#latest

deputyship budgets and manages my finances.

So this really should be under their remit to ensure it is being correctly managed.

Robin9

HedgehogRulez said:

Robin9 said:

Perhaps the Support Manager could make this fun and provide an incentive.  The support manager would have to do this not the residents.

 

Why can’t the residents incentivise themselves? Saving money is its own reward.

You completely misunderstand  - my wife used to work in a similar set up. These men and women need a lot of support and guidance.   

EssexHebridean

LightFlare said:

EssexHebridean said:

HedgehogRulez said:

Robin9 said:

Perhaps the Support Manager could make this fun and provide an incentive.  The support manager would have to do this not the residents.

 

Why can’t the residents incentivise themselves? Saving money is its own reward.

Well for a start we have no knowledge of why they need to be in supported living arrangement - it may be for example that although the OP evidently had a decent grasp of - and understanding of - basic home finance, the housemates may not, and may not be able to grasp such an understanding either. That in itself if frustrating for the OP as can be seen from what they have written. 

The judgement being shown by some responders to this thread is breathtaking - if you live your normal offline lives like this, I feel deep sympathy for your friends and family. Please - if you are considering posting on the thread and all you have to give is judgement not help, just move on. Preferably to another forum entirely.

I think the posting history may be a cause of some responses 

I think it’s ok for tax payers to question how their money is being spent - all to often it just gets accepted and not questioned for fear of upsetting someone

It absolutely is - but the correct way of doing this is doing this is to ask questions of your MP, NOT to mount a judgemental attack on the individuals in receipt of what you perceive to be "taxpayers money". You wouldn't approach a wheelchair user in the street and demand to know why they couldn't just use crutches so as to save "taxpayers money" - so please don't consider it acceptable to do that on a forum, either. 

@williewonder - hopefully you can cut through the irrelevant posts here to the more helpful ones. Qriz asks some good questions above. 

Is the dog of a size that you might be able to suggest the fitting of a dog-flap for it rather than leaving the door open?