Cold weather payments!

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.

[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by Nidge

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.

this was discussed on the Jeremy vine show radio 2 , and because the money is paid out in nov it usually goes on Xmas pressies for the gran kids ,according to research carried out .

[dilli-theclaw]

I get cold weather payments (not winter fuel) and I'm glad I do. Can't say the more I get the more I want though.

[Delta Whiskey]

I think it would do more good if Age Concern made an effort to ensure all those who were entitled to this extra benefit were actually getting it.

[Angua]

Cold weather payments are brilliant unless you are being paid by cheque and there is no post!

Originally Posted by papa smurf

this was discussed on the Jeremy vine show radio 2 , and because the money is paid out in nov it usually goes on Xmas pressies for the gran kids ,according to research carried out .

Ah right so it's not just me then?? If they don't want the money pay them in credits which can be cashed against their heating this way they'll spend nothing on Christmas pressies and then Age Concern will have nothing to moan about will they??

I'd like to see them in another EU country where they don't get the weather payments.

---------- Post added at 10:36 ---------- Previous post was at 10:35 ----------

Originally Posted by Thomas T

I get cold weather payments (not winter fuel) and I'm glad I do. Can't say the more I get the more I want though.

Does it cover your winter fuel payments??

[dilli-theclaw]

Originally Posted by Nidge

Ah right so it's not just me then?? If they don't want the money pay them in credits which can be cashed against their heating this way they'll spend nothing on Christmas pressies and then Age Concern will have nothing to moan about will they??

I'd like to see them in another EU country where they don't get the weather payments.

---------- Post added at 10:36 ---------- Previous post was at 10:35 ----------



Does it cover your winter fuel payments??

No.

edit - Mind you I wouldnt expect £25 or £50 to cover all my winter fuel costs.

[Kymmy]

We help a few elderly and sick people in the village and some of them just have enough to live on never mind battling these temp extremes.. I've seen then shivering in thier beds as they don't have enough money to even put the heating on minimal.. These payments are a lifesaver to people like that..

In our area there's been 3 cold weather payment activations and I normally tell the people directly from internet information as the letters come far too late for them to know that they can afford to run thier heating a bit more

[dilli-theclaw]

Originally Posted by Kymmy

We help a few elderly and sick people in the village and some of them just have enough to live on never mind battling these temp extremes.. I've seen then shivering in thier beds as they don't have enough money to even put the heating on minimal.. These payments are a lifesaver to people like that..

In our area there's been 3 cold weather payment activations and I normally tell the people directly from internet information as the letters come far too late for them to know that they can afford to run thier heating a bit more

Indeed - and I think it may be a good idea to post this link again.
http://pensions.direct.gov.uk/en/col...yment/home.asp

[Gary L]

I think it's enough. it's a lot more than nothing. I know one old person that has over £63,000 in his bank account and is a scrooge with the heating. he'll complain that it's cold but won't turn it up or even on until a certain time because he doesn't want to waste money.

not all are like that, but for the sake of an extra few quid a week in keeping warm or suffering. it's just not worth it.

[Jimmy-J]

We get the £25 cold weather payment every now and then, and we put it all on the gas or electric. Having an old crappy back boiler doesn't help.

[Kymmy]

Originally Posted by Product 13

We get the £25 cold weather payment every now and then, and we put it all on the gas or electric. Having an old crappy back boiler doesn't help.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8440557.stm

A government scheme that gives households in England £400 off the cost of a new boiler has been launched.

[Jimmy-J]

Originally Posted by Kymmy

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8440557.stm

A government scheme that gives households in England £400 off the cost of a new boiler has been launched.

Thanks for the link Kymmy, but we live in council accommodation.

People who own their homes or landlords who rent homes are eligible, but social landlords, housing associations and boiler installers are not.

Our council estate has been on the waiting list for new boilers for about 3 years. Maybe this year we'll get them?

[Jon T]

People who own their homes or landlords who rent homes are eligible, but social landlords, housing associations and boiler installers are not.

Counts me out, even though everyone on our estate has a Category G boiler.

Once you have found out if your boiler qualifies for replacement, the next step is to arrange a quote for a new one from a qualified installer. This could cost anything between £2,000 and £3,000.

So, very affordable then. Ok, it may save you more than that in the long term, you still need to have that amount to spend in the first place though.

Originally Posted by Jon T

Counts me out, even though everyone on our estate has a Category G boiler.



social landlords (the council)already get the money to upgrade the g rated boilers under the decent homes scheme ,so if you live on a council estate it will be getting changed if it hasn't already




So, very affordable then. Ok, it may save you more than that in the long term, you still need to have that amount to spend in the first place though.

thats the only draw back with the scheme ,i think they should give you the voucher and make the contractor claim the money back not the home owner as this could put alot of people of ,although i believe British gas will be appliying a discount matching the grant to ofset the full cost