Winter Fuel Payment

NotAGran how/where can you see the WFP is due to land in your bank tomorrow? Due to my current circs, it would be really helpful to have that information as I find it really stressful to keep checking online.

I can see that my WFP is coming into my bank tomorrow, 3 days before my SP is scheduled to arrive.

Kind of fuel related,but last week I had a major fridge clearout, and have noticed that the smart meter is showing around 15p less daily. Nothing else has changed, so I’m thinking it must be the fridge.

Thank you Jaxjacky.

Yes the cost is racking up very quickly, I have a smart meter and glance at the monitor daily, on my way up to bed. I mentally multiply the daily cost by 30 and get the heebie jeebies when I think of the monthly total. I, for one, am very grateful for the £500 this year. My house is well insulated, it is not an airless box so warmth does leave and cold does come in

I am managing a half a degree lower temperature here and there, particularly in the living room during the mornings, when I am often busy elsewhere in the house. My bedroom is maintaining a fraction just under 18, 18 is the recommended bedroom temperature for oldies

I had my £500 WFP last week. I am still working off the excess I built up with my energy company during the summer, even after lowering my monthly DD, but the way the daily charges are racking up now for this well insulated house, that won’t last long, especially if bills are going up again in January.

I notice the payment was made on 5th Dec last year so I’m patient

I had my pension last Friday, but no WFP yet DAR.

Oh for an edit button. off not of

Germanshepherdsmum

I agree DAR. And these flats can take a long while to sell - and until then the charges continue to be payable even if the flat is unoccupied because the resident has gone into a care home or died. It may be a comfortable and convenient way to live but cheap it isn’t.

Sorry to go of topic but this is sort of relevant to the costs of retirement.

Germanshepherdsmum The long-awaited Leasehold and Freehold Bill is set to be unveiled in Parliament today. The Bill aims to make it cheaper and easier for existing leaseholders in houses and flats to extend their lease or buy their freehold. It is also hoped that reforms will make these types of properties easier to sell.

Source: Estate Agent Today (but it looks as if it could be straight from a government press release).

The bill, which would ban leaseholds for new houses but not flats, is due to be introduced in Parliament later.

It would also make it easier and cheaper for homeowners to extend their lease or buy their freehold.

Source BBC, who also mention the possibility of a 999 year lease as the norm with cheaper opportunities to buy years.

Instant thoughts are that "cheap" may still be expensive for some/many and that the idea of having to to run your own services and maintenance would be too much for many who would still have to buy these in.

Germanshepherdsmum

Just what I was thinking karmalady. All that heating will come at a cost travelsafar.

And most of those communal areas are empty all day.
I visit 2 such places and the only time they’re used is if there’s an evening function.

Floradora9

DH got his I am still waiting .

Do you get your pensions on different dates in the month? I would assume you would do. Did your OH get his WF on the same day as his pension payment?

Obviously you have no need to answer this - it's reasonable to think it's too intrusive but it's a mystery I would love to solve.

travelsafar - I'm just coming to the end of my second year in Independent Living, and am a big fan.

The rent bit of the rent is quite reasonable but the service charge bit is huge, making for an eye watering total. Heating;lighting;water;lunch;common room;24 hour emergency line;support worker 08:00-16:00 24/7; manager and deputy manager Mon-Fri; handyman ditto; stunning gardens that I don't have to take care of.

My income is roughly £200 pm more than my overall rent, so I get Housing Benefit for the first time ever. The manager did the application for me.

I get a bit anxious around pension increase time:
my SP and Occupational P go up
so the HB comes down, as I have more "surplus" income
but the rent bit goes up the same amount as the SP
and my Income Tax goes up
so it all takes a while to jiggle into place

It's not an extravagant lifestyle but certainly comfortable. And warm (tho I don't have the heat on in the flat often). And if the heating or any other system fails, someone fixes it pdq.

I am A but nothing yet

Mines arrived today along with my state pension.

DaisyAnneReturns... you are right it is independent living not sheltered housing I'm hoping to go to. It is run by a local HA so no issues with trying to sell further down the line.

DH got his I am still waiting .

I agree DAR. And these flats can take a long while to sell - and until then the charges continue to be payable even if the flat is unoccupied because the resident has gone into a care home or died. It may be a comfortable and convenient way to live but cheap it isn’t.

karmalady

travelsafar

This horrid rise in fuel costs is one reason why I'm hoping to go into sheltered housing. There are other reasons too. But the thought of walking into a building which has radiators in all communal areas and corridors is very appealing, plus of course only having to heat a one bed flat instead of a large, chilly 3 bed house......watch this space.

I friend is doing that. Her management charge will be £7000 pa. that amount will provide a huge amount of heating and the charge is not fixed, it can go up year on year

Are the flats where your friend is "extra-care", travelsofar, they are very expensive because 24-hour care is available. You pay even more if you use it. There are lots of facilities available and it's a half-way house that means a care-home can be put off for a while, if not completely.

Sheltered housing may have a manager (or warden), 24-hour emergency help through an alarm system, communal areas, such as gardens/lounges and social activities for residents.

Independant living will have similar services that take care of communal areas and alarm system but they may not have lounges, social activities or any on-site support.

As these names can overlap it's important to understand what you will get.

Most can be bought or rented from 55, but I have seen some new extra-care ones going up, in our nearby town, with an over 70 policy.

I shall be very relieved when I get mine. Having to put the heating on now and it is a worry.

I wonder if they start with the first people receiving their eligible benefit on the start date - in our case mainly pensions - and just set the computer programme to send each days out on they day they normally get paid. It could be a proportion of that day, perhaps by age, alphabet or benefit.

They aim to pay them in November/December.

That explains it very clearly, DAR. Thank you.

If you are in a single person household and over 80 you should receive £600 Winter Fuel Allowance. On you bank statement it will have WFA at the end of you NI number to identify it.

People on various benefits will receive £300 Cost of Living payment. This is the autumn tranche of this benefit. The will be another in spring 2024 (dates not yet released) although it will be £299 so the payments are easy to identify. These payments go to prople on eligible means tested benefits but also to people on some disability benefits -always worth checking if you think you may be eligible.

Just what I was thinking karmalady. All that heating will come at a cost travelsafar.

travelsafar

This horrid rise in fuel costs is one reason why I'm hoping to go into sheltered housing. There are other reasons too. But the thought of walking into a building which has radiators in all communal areas and corridors is very appealing, plus of course only having to heat a one bed flat instead of a large, chilly 3 bed house......watch this space.

I friend is doing that. Her management charge will be £7000 pa. that amount will provide a huge amount of heating and the charge is not fixed, it can go up year on year