Topic: Winter Fuel payment

[jimtheworzel]

I read on the internet to day that Winter Fuel payments are being sent out november/december-and its £50 less than last year.

[grannyjanny]

Yes that's right Jim. Two hundred this year.

[rosebud]

 Yes the goverment was in power about 1 week & they cut £50 off & also the same week took the free swimming pass away from the senior citizens, the cowardly ba****ds  snatch from the most vunerable first it is so easy for them.
But look out next election time the GREY vote will hit back then.

[cornykev]

Its time the oldies took to the road and block motorways with their vehicles in protest.   :o

[Mr Smith]

My winter fuel payment is being put to good use, 'Me', shortly to be changed in to Euros to blow in Benidorm over Chrimbo, :)

[pumkinlover]

We believe it was always £200, with a one off extra last year ?due to the cold.
It will come in useful when we need to buy some solid fuel, but still on wood at the moment.
Central heating never goes on. Just put on another layer!

[claybasket]

My winter fuel payment is being put to good use, 'Me', shortly to be changed in to Euros to blow in Benidorm over Chrimbo, :)

                                                                                                                                                               It will be cheaper than heating your house good on you Mr Smith ;D

[Obelixx]

Winter fuel payments are a farce.  They come out of taxes paid by everyone who contributes to the system and go to everyone above a certain age regardless of need or income.  

Probably half the people who get it don't really need it and spend it on other things.  Many wealthier people find it incongruous and donate theirs to charity.  

I'd far rather see the money targeted at those who really need it and the money thus saved spent on insulating homes to allow future savings on fuel bills which would have the further benefit of reducing energy consumption.

[claybasket]

My very old nabour aged 99 they took £100 from her ,she has her heating on all day and why shouldn't she ,she uses her computer every day and she reads  her books, goes shopping ,shes a credit to the elderly ,oh yes and been through two wars,I'd love to give them B*****ds at number 10 a good slapping. they took £50 from me to :-X

[caroline7758]

That's why there's a campaign this year asking people who don't need it but get it anyway to donate it. I know a much better solution would be to means-test it, but in the meantime if you're interested:

http://new.thebiggive.org.uk/projects/view/9923

And btw the over 80's got a cut of £100 in theirs this year, from £400 to £300. The extra for a severe winter is a separate payment.

[OllieC]

Wouldn't means testing make it cost more in administration? Doing it this way, you either don't need it, in which case it's a small refund on your tax (if you don't need it then you must have an okay taxed income) or you do need it & it helps you to stay warm.

[ACE]

I'd far rather see the money targeted at those who really need it and the money thus saved spent on insulating homes to allow future savings on fuel bills which would have the further benefit of reducing energy consumption.

That is already being done, free on a lot of local council schemes. Some of us joke about our winter gin allowance but it does goes on heating, just leaves you a bit more to spent elsewhere (winter clothes for example) which is usually subject to purchase tax. It is a backdoor injection of cash into manufacturers etc by the government.

Just a thought, if I fill up the car with it the government will get nearly half of it back.

[pumkinlover]

We are having cavity wall insulation next week, which is subsidised by the government.
Wood burner also used to cook which saves money.

[Sparkly]

Don't worry it isn't only oldies that are getting the hit. My pension is soon to be EXTRA £100 per month.

[picman]

You can save the £50 a year by going round switching things OFF , OK equipment on standby use less than 10 watts but multiply by 24 x 7 makes a lot of 1kw units. things like phone chargers , tv , video and audio , computer stuff , microwaves etc etc.