Winter fuel allowance

I could have looked it up quite easily but thank you for that Gracesgran
DH will get extra this year and he is spending more time indoors in the warm so it will help.

grannytotwins the point of governments giving these allowances eg the WFA, free TV licences to over 75s, etc, is that they can take them away.

If they gave us the increase in the State Pension instead they couldn't rescind that.
Crafty move!

Money already gone before winter really here. Dont know how i will manage. A few more ccj's' probably. What a horrible end to a life.

Well said grannytotwins. As I have said (often), if we each got a living pension of, say, a set sum of £12,500 (losing our personal tax allowance in the process) we would not need these "extras" or income-related benefits (except for housing) and it would be a boost to the economy.

But apparently, we can live on less than those in other countries.

There is no point sending it back Ellen, it just causes confusion and admin costs. Much better , if you don’t need the allowance to just donate it to a charity of your choice. I remember a few years ago Rod Stewart tried to cancel getting the Winter Fuel Allowance as he clearly didn’t need it and found that it is impossible to do. He just accepted it gratefully and donated it. If we don’t need ours we should do the same.

My husband gets it, and we're very thankful for it, wait and watch for it hitting the bank account

I regard it as part of my annual state pension, given in a lump sum when needed most. I get £100, so if it were doled out weekly it would be less than £2 on my pension. I love getting that WFP. How lucky some of you are not to need it.

I got my first WFA payment automatically, no letter came but I noticed it in my account. I really appreciate it (although I don't really need it) as it's so important to keep warm when we're older.

Means testing is very expensive with all the admin and fraud checking involved, wasteful, in fact. It seems sensible, to me, that it's a universal payment.

I sometimes think people feel it is a sign of weakness to look things up! This is what you would be entitled to.

Born between 23 September 1939 and 5 April 1954

You qualify and live alone (or none of the people you live with qualify) - £200

You qualify and live with someone under 80 who also qualifies - £100

You qualify and live with someone 80 or over who also qualifies - £100

You qualify, live in a care home and do not get certain benefits
£100

Born on or before 22 September 1939

You qualify and live alone (or none of the people you live with qualify) - £300

You qualify and live with someone under 80 who also qualifies
£200

You qualify and live with someone 80 or over who also qualifies - £150

You qualify, live in a care home and do not get certain benefits - £150

To know if you qualify it's here: www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/eligibility

All benefits are means-tested in that they are offset by the tax you pay according to income. That is the way our system has involved so never mind paying tax or taking a benefit. It's what is supposed to happen and you are not a better person for not doing either.

My allowance is spent on keeping GC warm, youngest one has to wear adult shoes now and a pair of boots last week cost me more than the WFP.

I started receiving my pension in May and have had a letter saying £100 will go in to my account as if you are both entitled it is divided between you.
How daft is that, so we can pay to heat a floor each. Not saying we should have £200 each, why not just continue to pay it all to DH

There is no means of sending it back anyway.

Anyone who doesnt need it - and I know many do - can give it to one of the charities who will almost certainly make better use of it than the govt. would.

The Sally Army is a favourite of mine at Christmas. Some years ago, very soon before Christmas, I won a big hamper of goodies and wine. We were expecting a houseful and already had plenty of everything either in or ordered, so I felt really bad to win something we didn't need when someone else could surely really do with it.

In the end I phoned the local SA and someone came literally within half an hour to collect it.

Older people generally do need warmer houses and if it was a benefit which had to be claimed many wouldn’t do it and suffer - possibly fatally. Much better to send it to everyone.

Ours has gone to charities in the past but this year it’s going our DC who haven’t had pay rises in five years and are in greater need.

Mine is very much needed,and gratefully received,as is the £10.

Mine will also go towards paying for the oil delivery (ordered for 2nd week in December). I am glad those who can afford to give it to charity but it many older people are living on just the state pension and without the WFA would be unable to heat their homes in winter

Mine comes in very handy for the extra fuel in winter, and i think going by how freezing cold it is here tonight we will need it, my £10 will go to the Humane society
Also if we get freezing weather for 7 nights in a row we get another £25, as far as i know that hasn't been stopped
When David Cameron became PM the first thing he cut was the winter fuel allowance by £50

At least I know where it's going, goodness knows what the government would do with it
Good point Callistemon.

Here is the statement from Gov.UK website.

If you were born on or before 5 April 1954 you could get between £100 and £300 to help you pay your heating bills. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.

You usually get a Winter Fuel Payment automatically if you are eligible and you get the State Pension or another social security benefit (not Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit).

If you’re eligible but do not get paid automatically, you will need to make a claim.

Can't cope with the phone I've got
As for a gaming station? What's that?


I can't remember Chewbacca but I think it came automatically along with the extra £10 Christmas bonus, unchanged since 1972!

Reading your responses gives me more hope for humanity! Love that some use the allowances and bonuses for heating needs and others give to charities. I have a sneaking suspicion that many here in the states would go out and buy a phone upgrade or gaming station, but perhaps I'm being too cynical...

Is it an automatic payment that you get when you reach SPA? Or do you have to apply for it?

What if one in a couple is over 80 and one under?

We do use extra heating now we're home much more so I'm not sending it back to the government.

We give more than that to charity especially if you count what we put in the food bank. At least I know where it's going, goodness know what the government would do with it.

£300 if you’re over 80 and £200 under
Surely if someone doesn’t need it they can find a charity or a needy family to give it to

No, not everyone needs it but many do and ours is certainly very welcome to offset winter bills. If it wasn’t needed it would go to a local charity. Each winter brings a sometimes heated thread or two on this topic, perhaps good to remember we can agree to disagree.