Winter Fuel Allowance

DH got his yesterday

Mum always gave me her £10 bonus to buy the turkey as she always spent Christmas with us. DH's goes un noticed.

Got mine yesterday - DH did not get his and the post has been this morning. I do wish he would shut up about it, I have enough on my plate without chasing up a payment which will surely come of its on accord next week.

I received a letter this week informing me they hope to have payments in accounts by Christmas

was looking forward to getting winter fuel allowance now I have just gone 60, but of course..........don't get it now until I get my pension at 66/7 huh!

Nor me biker. or my bus pass

Off to check my Bank

nuffin

oh and the bus pass !! huh! tut! grrrrrrr....

I have just realised after reading this that we also have not had a letter informing us that it will be paid after a certain date. We have always had one in previous years.

If it is not sent soon, winter will be over.

I cannot understand why they do not send the £10 Christmas bonus at the same time. Silly me, that would be saving money.

Got mine but DH hasnt

Hi Biker,

Are you saying you won't get the winter fuel allowance or a bus pass until you're 66. I think that's really mean on the part of the government.

I was lucky being born not long after the war so I got both at 6O and I think everyone should.

I received mine last week.

You sure about bus pass bikergran? My friend doesn't get her pension until 66 but got her bus pass when she turned 60 last year.

In England you can get a bus pass for free travel when you reach the female State Pension age, whether you’re a man or a woman.

If you live in London, you can travel free on buses, tubes and other transport when you’re 60, but only within London.

In Wales you can get a bus pass when you reach 60.

Sometimes I've received a letter telling me to expect payment within 3 weeks and it's already in my account.

The rules for the free bus pass in England changed soon after I applied for mine. It used to be 60 for all but is now "when you reach State Pension age" which varies depending on when you were born. There is a popular misconception, probably not helped by a number of older celebrities mentioning having a bus pass, that this is issued automatically to all along with the fuel allowances. In fact it has to be applied for and I for one did not apply until I had need of using it on a regular basis being unable to drive for a while. Ironically they are niw threatening to withdraw our one bus a day service altogether so I may have a pass but no means of using one.

I still have not had notification of this year's fuel allowance which generally arrives in time for the winter top-up of the oil tank for heating. Having to use oil for heating can be a nightmare to budget with the sharply fuctuating prices but living in the country there is no gas supply as an option.

In Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as in Wales, you can still get the bus pass at 60 too, Ana, and some areas of England as well as London have arrangements for free travel within the area.

So it's just the rest of us in England that have to pay. My 65 year old DH has had his bus pass for the past 5 years (and gets half price local train travel too on the back of it), and I won't get mine till I'm 66. But am I bitter? Too right I am!

Sorry, Maggie, I was quoting from the Gov.Uk website and didn't check on the Scotland and NI position.

Hi Falcon...yes that's right for me and many others, we will not get our winter fuel allowance or our bus pass until we reach pension age 66/7 for me, which by that time I'm sure they will have withdrawn both, thank goodness that I am fit enough to walk, so I must count my blessing, as some are less mobile and are forced to take the bus and yes people say "well why don't you by a weekly bus pass" these are £10-50 a lot to pull out for many.Did have my motorcycle but that's gone now,although I do keep wondering about a scooter once I am in work.

The annoying thing is that a recent Age UK report showed that research has found that every £1 spent on the bus pass generates £1.33 for the local economy. I have friends who say they go out a lot more because they have a pass, obviously spending money while they're out, as well as getting social benefits. It's a gift that keeps on giving!

Hi Biker,

That's so wrong - it's a sneaky way of the Government saving money in my opinion.

Bus Fares here are really expensive. I can't believe how much the driver asks people for when they pay their fares.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if they eventually get rid of the bus pass and the winter fuel allowance and we'll all have to find work even if we're 70+

I'm off to Google as last year when I turned 60 it said I wasn't eligible until I'm 65/66 as that is when I get my pension.

Pension due 6th May '19 when I will be 65 so no bus pass until then.