Aiming to be Christmas No.1

The thread is about the fuel allowance, though.

The expenses have always been an issue.

OldHag

I'm not quite at pensionable age, so wouldn't be entitled to claim anyway, but I do find it rather shocking that so many pensioners are complaining about the WFP being made means tested. I should explain, when the declaration about it first happened, I was talking to my sister who is a little older than me, and she was moaning about the new government taking money away from her. I asked her to explain, and she said that she would lose nearly £300 a year on the Winter Fuel Payment. However, the fact is, she isn't even hard up, but was moaning about having this money taken away from her!

So personally, I think that a lot of those who are moaning, and making a fuss about it now being means tested, are just simply being greedy. After all, if you don't actually NEED it, why should you be given it?

These are the people who should be giving up the allowance, so that all of those who REALLY need it, can get help with their winter fuel costs. I do appreciate that for those who fall £1.00 over being able to claim, will feel worse off, but a line has to be drawn somewhere, and presumably the government have done sufficient research to ensure that the people who REALLY need the help, are the ones who ARE going to get it.

Thankfully, I too am in a position where I won't need to claim it, when the time comes, but would have happily given it up, so that more money could be spent on the important things that have been drained of cash, over the last 14 years.

So how do you feel about MPs claiming for heating allowance
for their second homes? Do you feel that is one of the important things you are giving up your allowance in order to fund! If so, that is very generous of you!

justanovice

No unfortunately resiting the tank wasn't possible because of the layout of the garden and yes we do have a wood burner it's a necessity out here because of the frequent power cuts. I'm not really selling it as a desirable location am I but otherwise it is a lovely place to live.

We do have a gas fire in the lounge but we never use it. To be honest it is so many years since have used it I think I'd need to get it serviced. We just seem to naturally gravitate to the kitchen during power cuts. You sort of get used to the regular cuts I think. I found it really annoying when we moved here but I don't think much about it now.

OldHag

I'm not quite at pensionable age, so wouldn't be entitled to claim anyway, but I do find it rather shocking that so many pensioners are complaining about the WFP being made means tested. I should explain, when the declaration about it first happened, I was talking to my sister who is a little older than me, and she was moaning about the new government taking money away from her. I asked her to explain, and she said that she would lose nearly £300 a year on the Winter Fuel Payment. However, the fact is, she isn't even hard up, but was moaning about having this money taken away from her!

So personally, I think that a lot of those who are moaning, and making a fuss about it now being means tested, are just simply being greedy. After all, if you don't actually NEED it, why should you be given it?

These are the people who should be giving up the allowance, so that all of those who REALLY need it, can get help with their winter fuel costs. I do appreciate that for those who fall £1.00 over being able to claim, will feel worse off, but a line has to be drawn somewhere, and presumably the government have done sufficient research to ensure that the people who REALLY need the help, are the ones who ARE going to get it.

Thankfully, I too am in a position where I won't need to claim it, when the time comes, but would have happily given it up, so that more money could be spent on the important things that have been drained of cash, over the last 14 years.

Someone was moaning to us about it, was worried it was going to be a drain on his £250k savings which he doesn't want to touch as it is his DDs inheritance. I said I thought his house, £500k roughly, would be her inheritance and he said Oh yes that as well.

growstuff

theworriedwell

growstuff

heavenlyheath

Bravo "keeping quiet" so you can keep your home warm cheaper than last year have you a magic wand or a money tree. Maybe you are lucky enough to still have your husband and have 2 pension amounts coming in.

No magic wand here, but my energy bills are lower than they were last year for approximately the same usage. I most definitely don't have a husband or two pensions coming in.

Mine are as well. Might be because I signed up to a fixed price deal with Octopus a few months back when prices were lower. They've said we are overpaying and dropped our payments.

I don't have a fixed price deal. I'm basing my figures on my actual bills - not the amount I pay in direct debit.

I'm with OVO and have a smart meter. There's a facility on the website to compare daily usage and cost with the same day last year. I have also looked at my actual monthly bills. The costs are creeping up because unit prices and standing charges are increasing, but it's still less than this time last year.

I submit my readings, gas and electric, every month. Octopus send a reminder and then you very quickly get a bill. You can then then check a graph which shows what you are using, what you've used in the past, checks you balance and will suggest you adjust it if you are projected to build up too much credit or not cover the bill. So yes I know based on my bills but that affects my direct debit.

For me the unit price is more significant than the standing charges as my husband is disabled so we use way more than the average, things like electric bed and chairs, charging his buggy, lots of washing and he feels the cold so where the savings might be a small sum for some for us it is a significant amount. I am glad I opted for the fixed deal as it was below the standard price at the time and we didn't have the increase that happened in October I think it was October.

OldHag and presumably the government have done sufficient research to ensure that the people who REALLY need the help, are the ones who ARE going to get it.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/sep/12/no-winter-fuel-payments-impact-assessment-was-carried-out-no-10-admits
Well they admitted to not doing an impact assessment, so no they didn't do sufficient research. I agree a line has to be drawn for WFP but the line for pension credit is far too low, and there could easily be a graduated tail off band.

I hope the single does well.

We need all the help we can get now that winter means a higher energy bill.

I'm not quite at pensionable age, so wouldn't be entitled to claim anyway, but I do find it rather shocking that so many pensioners are complaining about the WFP being made means tested. I should explain, when the declaration about it first happened, I was talking to my sister who is a little older than me, and she was moaning about the new government taking money away from her. I asked her to explain, and she said that she would lose nearly £300 a year on the Winter Fuel Payment. However, the fact is, she isn't even hard up, but was moaning about having this money taken away from her!

So personally, I think that a lot of those who are moaning, and making a fuss about it now being means tested, are just simply being greedy. After all, if you don't actually NEED it, why should you be given it?

These are the people who should be giving up the allowance, so that all of those who REALLY need it, can get help with their winter fuel costs. I do appreciate that for those who fall £1.00 over being able to claim, will feel worse off, but a line has to be drawn somewhere, and presumably the government have done sufficient research to ensure that the people who REALLY need the help, are the ones who ARE going to get it.

Thankfully, I too am in a position where I won't need to claim it, when the time comes, but would have happily given it up, so that more money could be spent on the important things that have been drained of cash, over the last 14 years.

If you look at the average household energy bill graph, it shows that at the peak it was £2500, whereas in January 2025 it is predicted to go up to £1738. After deducting the one off payment for the year before last, if the projection is correct, the average household is going to be paying £262 a year less than it was then, and about £200 less than for the same period last year.

Thank you Freya5 I was beginning to doubt my little grey cells

I remember that, the one off payment Freya5, when the energy costs were at an all time high? I saw this the other day, which demonstrates the change in household energy prices over time, before and after that all time high.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58090533

Casdon

GrannyGravy13

Didn’t the Conservatives give households financial support for their energy bills when they spiralled after Russia invaded Ukraine?

Do you mean the price cap? It’s still there now.

Actually the Energy Bills support scheme gave a non repayable discount of 400 pounds to households with domestic electricity connection between 22/24. Some people got 500 pounds. Automatic into bank accounts, and didn't need applying for.
The price cap is different, that limits the amount your supplier can charge for energy whilst on standard or default tarriffs.
So yes the Conservatives gave financial help for energy. I know because I received it.

GrannyGravy13

Didn’t the Conservatives give households financial support for their energy bills when they spiralled after Russia invaded Ukraine?

Do you mean the price cap? It’s still there now.

Didn’t the Conservatives give households financial support for their energy bills when they spiralled after Russia invaded Ukraine?

theworriedwell

growstuff

heavenlyheath

Bravo "keeping quiet" so you can keep your home warm cheaper than last year have you a magic wand or a money tree. Maybe you are lucky enough to still have your husband and have 2 pension amounts coming in.

No magic wand here, but my energy bills are lower than they were last year for approximately the same usage. I most definitely don't have a husband or two pensions coming in.

Mine are as well. Might be because I signed up to a fixed price deal with Octopus a few months back when prices were lower. They've said we are overpaying and dropped our payments.

I don't have a fixed price deal. I'm basing my figures on my actual bills - not the amount I pay in direct debit.

I'm with OVO and have a smart meter. There's a facility on the website to compare daily usage and cost with the same day last year. I have also looked at my actual monthly bills. The costs are creeping up because unit prices and standing charges are increasing, but it's still less than this time last year.

growstuff

heavenlyheath

Bravo "keeping quiet" so you can keep your home warm cheaper than last year have you a magic wand or a money tree. Maybe you are lucky enough to still have your husband and have 2 pension amounts coming in.

No magic wand here, but my energy bills are lower than they were last year for approximately the same usage. I most definitely don't have a husband or two pensions coming in.

The unit price of electricity has been cheaper this year, although standing charges have risen. It varies by region, but I’ve paid less every month for my electricity bills in 2024 than I did in 2023. I don’t have gas, so I can’t compare that.

growstuff

heavenlyheath

Bravo "keeping quiet" so you can keep your home warm cheaper than last year have you a magic wand or a money tree. Maybe you are lucky enough to still have your husband and have 2 pension amounts coming in.

No magic wand here, but my energy bills are lower than they were last year for approximately the same usage. I most definitely don't have a husband or two pensions coming in.

Mine are as well. Might be because I signed up to a fixed price deal with Octopus a few months back when prices were lower. They've said we are overpaying and dropped our payments.

No unfortunately resiting the tank wasn't possible because of the layout of the garden and yes we do have a wood burner it's a necessity out here because of the frequent power cuts. I'm not really selling it as a desirable location am I but otherwise it is a lovely place to live.

Nor me, that's for sure!

heavenlyheath

Bravo "keeping quiet" so you can keep your home warm cheaper than last year have you a magic wand or a money tree. Maybe you are lucky enough to still have your husband and have 2 pension amounts coming in.

Maybe she puts on an extra jumper?

Nobody knows another person's circunstances.

Trust me, things have not gone the way I thought they would for me.

We have gas central heating and I insisted on having a separate gas fire as well.
We were very glad of it recently when our boiler failed.

heavenlyheath

Bravo "keeping quiet" so you can keep your home warm cheaper than last year have you a magic wand or a money tree. Maybe you are lucky enough to still have your husband and have 2 pension amounts coming in.

No magic wand here, but my energy bills are lower than they were last year for approximately the same usage. I most definitely don't have a husband or two pensions coming in.

growstuff

theworriedwell

As for spurious arguments the original post says, "A charity single to the tune of Mud’s It’s Lonely Christmas, raising money for pensioners in the U.K." Note the "for pensioners" well I'm a pensioner and they aren't raising it for me so I object to my status as a pensioner being used as some emotional trigger to make a political point.

Pensions should be enough for pensioners to live without being charity cases.

I'd go slightly further than you. I'm a pensioner and I'm in that group who just miss out on Pension Credit by a few pounds. I've certainly missed not having the WFT, but I'm not starving nor freezing.

Like you, I object very strongly to (as you say) 'being used as some emotional trigger to make a political point'. Maybe these people could campaign for all people at the bottom of the financial pile to be treated better and for comments about the feckless poor etc to be challenged.

In the past, people have produced songs and done other fundraising activities to raise money for the work 'Help the Aged' does, but I'm not aware that the political messaging was so blatant.

Good point. I think there are people in other groups who need help like some young families or people with disabilities. I do hate the feckless poor stuff.

Bravo "keeping quiet" so you can keep your home warm cheaper than last year have you a magic wand or a money tree. Maybe you are lucky enough to still have your husband and have 2 pension amounts coming in.

What a brilliant composition ... and very apt!