Winter fuel payment petition

johnwayne · 13 January 2010 at 12:41AM

welshmoneylover wrote: »

So do working people.

I've had kids at home from school while I'm at work.

Obviously the heating has been on more, plus it's also been left on over night to avoid any pipes freezing up.

'Healthy' people can feel the cold, I for one, feel the cold more than others as I have a touch of raynards.

I too have Raynauds although more than a touch of it.

I also have 2 chronic illnesses & the cold makes these conditions so much more painful.

Cold and damp does affect disabled & elderly people more than normal people.

welshmoneylover · 13 January 2010 at 12:49AM

The cold and damp and ice also affects me when I'm scrapping my car windscreen at 5.30am. Takes me bloody hours to defrost myself, never mind the car.

Heating bills are high for everyone right now.

TOBRUK · 13 January 2010 at 12:58AM

johnwayne wrote: »

I too have Raynauds although more than a touch of it.

I also have 2 chronic illnesses & the cold makes these conditions so much more painful.

Cold and damp does affect disabled & elderly people more than normal people.

I do agree with you johnwayne, I too have a chronic condition and am almost housebound plus mobility problems. I am dreading the gas and electric bill but since I've also only just had a major operation I really can't turn down nor turn off the heating.

I do understand why there is need for much more to be done but not sure about the wording of the petition or see where it would end.

One thing is certain there are going to be people who will argue our need is gtreater than yours or theirs etc!

Indie_Kid · 13 January 2010 at 1:07AM

TOBRUK wrote: »

One thing is certain there are going to be people who will argue our need is gtreater than yours or theirs etc!

I agree.

There was a live chat on the number 10 site last week, asking one of the MPs questions about issues related to benefits and cold weather.

She said:
"The reason is that there are other benefits designed specifically to meet the year round costs, including heating. Disability Living Allowance is paid weekly and over the year it is in fact much higher than a winter fuel payment."

and
"for those who get Disability Living Allowance (DLA) care component or who are terminally ill, and getting the highest rate of care component DLA, that benefit is supposed to cover the extra costs they face. "

DX2 · 13 January 2010 at 1:37AM

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/winterfuelforall/
That's just too funny the creator of this petition would be far better getting her facts right before she went on a rant! and £400 :rolleyes: please.

Winter fuel payments are at present guaranteed to those over the age of sixty. However there are many people out there who have long term chronic illnesses which means they often need their heating on for longer than normal but are afraid too because of the cost. If a payment was guaranteed for £400 it would really lift the burden that we currently face. At present I have to use several blankets to try and keep warm as I am worried about the heating bill and will only have the heating on a couple of times a day. I implore the government to look into this and see that something gets done for us. If you get a means tested benefit it means you lose out and those on Job Seekers Allowance and the like can get all and everything. The system needs to be fairer to the disabled people of this country.

Part in bold crock of horse poo.

KimYeovil · 13 January 2010 at 2:24AM

What a disgusting and ridiculous idea. Many disabled people are already given ten to fifteen times the winter fuel allowance in extra benefits as it is. But apparently that's still not enough. That money is not given to them so that they can afford to buy food in Marks and Spencer. The greed of some is despicable.

Aputsiaq · 13 January 2010 at 4:24AM

johnwayne wrote: »

Thought some of you on here would be intersested in signing this petition asking the government to pay the winter fuel payment to disabled people as well. Most disabled people find that cold makes their conditions worsen.

I know there have been other petitions in the past but it doesnt hurt to keep the pressure up on them does it!

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/winterfuelforall/

Just to clarify that the petition asks that winter fuel payment is payable to all those in receipt of DLA. DLA is not a means tested benefit so therefore diabled people who are in work would also get it if the government agrees.

I am not the proposer of this petition I just came across it on the Fibromyalgia forum & thought it would be of interest to some.

DLA provides extra for the disabled to cover things such as this.
There are thousands of people who could benefit from more heat at any time of the year who do not get any benefits and they have no help whatsoever.
Get lots of layers on, sit under a nice fleece and have your heating on as normal. No probs.

Aputsiaq · 13 January 2010 at 4:28AM

sh1305 wrote: »

but some of us disabled people use more gas and electric.

Oh deary me, do you? So do young families with little children, where is their help? Where is the help for a number of people with 100's of illnesses that don't class as disabilites?
If you are severly disabled you will get disability benefit, and therefore will get the CWP.
If you are on other DLA, then that is what the DLA is for, to help you live a normal life.

[Deleted User] · 13 January 2010 at 8:23AM

Although when I'm at home for days after having cluster seizures I use extra heating in winter I really cant sign this.

Both DH and I get DLA but why on earth should we be paid a cold weather payment? We get DLA to pay for extra disability needs (including heating when needed) and we both work and get tax credits due to disability to pay for 'life'.

It realy would not be equal or fair to pay us this.

It really wasn't thought through before posting here or on the Number10 site was it?

Sequeena · 13 January 2010 at 8:35AM

£400 are you being serious?!

Any more taxes and me and my OH will not be able to live, we may as well turn to benefits also

My mum has had several strokes (her first one being the most major), has a hole in her heart, suffers from arthritis and several other conditions. My father also has arthritis and diabetes. I don't know what most of you are doing but they are managing ok in this cold weather on their benefits.

I'm all for the cold weather payments they get - it does help them but £400 is absolutely ridiculous.

Winter fuel payment petition

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