Annual Winter Fuel Payment 2022

karmalady - I remember that torture so well. My husband died, leaving me in shock/devastated with four young children - and, suddenly, they demanded back 'overpayments' before anything was sorted. I screeched down the phone 'I have no money - you'll have to wait!'.

My husband died, pensions continued to be paid for a very short while. Then I told all the authorities and had to pay the pensions back immediately. That plus the sudden decrease in incoming money, it is very difficult to deal with, on top of the grief. Many people have no idea about the money aspect and many don`t want to know, until it is too late

Iam64

Norah - honestly I do assertive well. You can’t assert yourself with automated services. Or with obdurate people who simply repeat -we don’t deal with that, no I can’t transfer you, then tell you to repeat the process that’s failed 3 times.
I wrote to my mp. He’s responded asking for my NI number so he can raise this direct with the cold bureaucracy. I said in my message to him, I’m competent, literate, English my first language, I can afford to use my mobile, my laptop on the gov.uk site directed me to the numbers I phoned. If I can’t negotiate the system, what about people with less resources

I'm sorry I insulted you.

You sound competent to me, I can get put off, thus my approach.

Brilliant writing "what about others with less resources"? We all know many fall through the cracks. Well done you.

Norah - honestly I do assertive well. You can’t assert yourself with automated services. Or with obdurate people who simply repeat -we don’t deal with that, no I can’t transfer you, then tell you to repeat the process that’s failed 3 times.
I wrote to my mp. He’s responded asking for my NI number so he can raise this direct with the cold bureaucracy. I said in my message to him, I’m competent, literate, English my first language, I can afford to use my mobile, my laptop on the gov.uk site directed me to the numbers I phoned. If I can’t negotiate the system, what about people with less resources

Iam64

Mr I died early October. I completed the Tell us Once form when I registered his death 3 days later. I closed our joint account from early December . I phoned the DWP bereavement line to arrange my winter fuel payment of 250, due after the date our joint account closed, would go into my new sole account.
The bereavement assistant said I would get Mr i’s winter fuel allowance. No she couldn’t arrange that. I’d to phone the winter fuel line. I waited another 30 mins, pressed option winter fuel allowance, automated voice told me ‘this line doesn’t deal with winter fuel, phone the same number press change or circs’. After another 30 min wait, a person told me she couldn’t deal with it --to phone the same number and press the winter fuel option
I began to feel I was being filmed for candid camera.
I wrote a letter. I’ve heard nothing, other than a letter telling me they intend to take Mr I’s state pension out of my account as despite me filling in correct forms, they paid his October pension and want it back

I'm so sorry. No need for bereaved to deal with stupid.

Is it time to interact alternating sweetness and inner assertive?

When I reach my limit - people are on my nerves because they're not listening while I'm as sweet as can be, the phone assistant and I are "friendly and conversing with logic" I begin being assertive if they can't "hear" me.

"I already phoned them, they said they couldn't help, surely you could figure this out correctly or send my call forward to the head of this department..."

Of course this is only my approach.

Bureaucracy can be so heartless.
With hindsight I think I was lucky in the people I dealt with but have no idea whether I ever got everything I might have been entitled to. At the time it seemed the least of my problems. But for you - you don’t need this at this time.

Mr I died early October. I completed the Tell us Once form when I registered his death 3 days later. I closed our joint account from early December . I phoned the DWP bereavement line to arrange my winter fuel payment of 250, due after the date our joint account closed, would go into my new sole account.
The bereavement assistant said I would get Mr i’s winter fuel allowance. No she couldn’t arrange that. I’d to phone the winter fuel line. I waited another 30 mins, pressed option winter fuel allowance, automated voice told me ‘this line doesn’t deal with winter fuel, phone the same number press change or circs’. After another 30 min wait, a person told me she couldn’t deal with it --to phone the same number and press the winter fuel option
I began to feel I was being filmed for candid camera.
I wrote a letter. I’ve heard nothing, other than a letter telling me they intend to take Mr I’s state pension out of my account as despite me filling in correct forms, they paid his October pension and want it back

Surely this is for people on benefits?
(Still nothing to do with Warm Fronts )

Franbern

Are you sure that this is not the WINTER FUEL PAYMENT (WFP).?This should be paid into your bank accunt and NOT to your fuel providers. THe original OP explains in detail how much each of us will get for this.

The attached explains what the Warm Home Discount is. It is a separate payment from the winter Fuel Payment.

www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme

Auntieflo

But why should you get it if you live in France?

Sorry, but I tend to agree with this.

Are you sure that this is not the WINTER FUEL PAYMENT (WFP).?This should be paid into your bank accunt and NOT to your fuel providers. THe original OP explains in detail how much each of us will get for this.

However I just had my warm front payment and that has taken my credit up to £1057 so I want some of that back

What is a warm front payment ?
It sounds like something off the Shipping Forecast! .

Received my WFP this morning.
£600 as I am over 80.

Here is a link to the Money Saving Expert site and a very comprehensive and easy to follow explanation of how to challenge excessive DDs and get your credit back:-

www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/lower-energy-direct-debits/#fight

I rang Eon yesterday and threatened to complain to the Ombudsman, reminding them it would cost them £500. I also threatened to cancel the direct debit.

They agreed to reduce my DD by 20% and to use the credit I have until it reduces to £500. So I will not have anything to pay for the next 2/3 months.

I want to keep some credit for when the prices goes up in April. However I just had my warm front payment and that has taken my credit up to £1057 so I want some of that back.

The advice from Martin Lewis was to threaten to cancel the DD, give monthly readings and just pay what you owe. I dont mingd having say a couple of hundred pounds in credit but the amount of my money they have of mine is ludicrous.

They say its based on what I used last year. But Ive had a new boiler since then and its much more efficient.

EON has been a total nightmare with me bigLouis and Ive actually handed everything over to the ombudsman now. I ve tried dealing with them for 6 months with no success Even a recorded delivery complaint got no reply (4 months on)

I am almost £1000 in credit with Eon and its obvious that my DD bas been wildly over estimated. Nevertheless they just put it up with no discussion or permission. Legally they are required to give you a months notice. Ive sent them 3 emails instructing them to return it to the previous level otherwise I will cancel the DD and pay monthly after using up some of the credit.. So far I got no reply. Someone is en route for a good tongue lashing tomorrow.

Nephew has had the same problem and they reduced his DD by 30%.

Us too BlueBelle boiler declared defunct today, new one being fitted Saturday. Timing sucks, Summer would’ve been better.

Well I m glad very glad the £590 is not going direct to the fuel companies I ve just found out I ve got to have a new boiler so it will help considerable towards that

What did disgust me the other day was Steve Allen on LBC bragging about getting the £500 and that man is always talking about his big expensive cars and how much Prosecco he necks
I don’t think anyone earning a big wage and I mean a big wage should not be entitled to the £500

I’m with British Gas. I only received my first instalment on Nov 2nd. It was paid into my electricity account then within 24hrs it disappeared from there and I found it in my bank account. I transferred it back to my electricity account to be used towards my monthly direct debit.

Yes, I’ve had mine. Octopus.

Mine were paid into my bank account, which is what OVO has opted to do.

Franbern yes I had the first £66 on October 5th and the second on November 2nd. Both credited to my electricity account with British Gas.

Yes, I received mine at the beginning of this month. I'm with OVO.