Originally Posted by Jon T (Post 34941724)

Partly true. Unfortunately, housing associations have nothing to do with the council, they are private not for profit providers of social housing, and are not included/covered by any of the decent homes funding.

Originally Posted by Nidge (Post 34941586)

It's just been on the news, Age Concern are bleating about the cold weather payments not being enough. Excuse me but I'll gladly accept £250 every November to see me through the winter, I'll gladly accept another £25 per week if the temprature drops below a certain level for 5 days, basically they are getting £250 plus another £25 per week while it's cold like it has been, they've got the potential to get over £300 in free fuel.

I know of people who are getting this while living in sheltered accomodation where their heating is free or included in their rents, I also know of people who are getting free coal but still get the winter fuel payments each year.

To Age Concern, if the payments aren't good enough tell the pensioners to hand them back or better still tell them to spend it on their heating instead of down at the Bingo.

Cast your minds back to 15 years ago before these payments came in, you can go back to them days if you want?

The more you give them the more they want.

Originally Posted by Frankie07;34941751[COLOR="Red"

]44 years from now[/COLOR] i would gladly accept £250, personally i think thats more than enough!

Originally Posted by papa smurf (Post 34941752)

you should be able to buy a newspaper with £250 by then -remember to stuff your clothing with it to keep warm ;)

Originally Posted by Jules (Post 34941803)

I think the payment should be sent either to the heating providers or given in vouchers so it cant be used for anything but heating.

Originally Posted by Thomas T (Post 34941806)

Good idea :) - see I'd have no problems with thaat.

I put my payments to one side and use them to pay the gas bill when it comes but as I say I'd have no problems with them giving it me as a voucher or indeed paying british gas direct.

Originally Posted by martyh (Post 34941810)

wouldn't paying the energy companies direct be quite a simple system to set up ,i believe that option was available to people on the dole years ago

Originally Posted by punky (Post 34941815)

£400 isn't a lot though. I had a quote of £4200 from BG for a simple boiler swap in the summer. Another £400 from BG is nice but means they'll put up their prices by £400 i'm sure. Indpendent heating engineers weren't much less.

Meanwhile for the last year or so, people with nice jobs have got £2000 off a nice new car. Meanwhile I have to struggle with a 20 year old boiler because I don't have £3500 cash.

Originally Posted by martyh (Post 34941827)

its approx 1/2 the cost of the boiler ,an average boiler will set you back about £850-£900 ex vat with fitting you should pay no more than £1500 and that includes thermostatic valves on the rads ,at least that's what a landlord has just payed i work for

Originally Posted by superbiatch (Post 34941835)

Yes, thats what OH paid - but we know a plumber so i suppose if you're not so lucky you could get ripped off.