Aiming to be Christmas No.1

I would be ashamed of that response did you proofread 🤦‍♀️

Log burners have to comply with emissions regulations, but the farmers would be burning the surplus wood themselves otherwise, which would be more polluting than the log burners are, so I’m pragmatic about it. I don’t buy wood that’s farmed specifically and sold in packs at the supermarket though, just the surplus generated by the farms.

There are quite a few log burners around here but aren't they now considered to be bad for the environment?

justanovice

Spare a thought for those of us in rural districts with no natural gas. Not only do we have to pay more to heat our homes but the options with which we can do so are being reduced. We use a mix of electricity and LPG ,both expensive, and now the LPG has been made more so because our bulk tank has been removed this year because it "no longer complies with new legislation" ,although its been there over 20 years without any problem, so we now have to use the much smaller cylinders which are eye wateringly expensive. Obviously we have also lost our WFA and , before you ask, we're not eligible for any credits. I'm sorry for the rant but it has made me feel slightly better .

My neighbour has just had the large LPG cylinder resited further from the house to comply with the new regulations justanovice, was that not an option? Most people around me have log burners, as for we rural inhabitants that’s the cheapest option to heat your home. Although they aren’t cheap to install, they last for ever, and wood is in plentiful supply here - and best of all, it still works when there’s a power cut.

Wyllow3

Yes like many councils we have a local hardship scheme

This is Birmingham, dont want to quote mine as regards privacy but our scheme is very much the same:

Grants are for:
*energy and food, with grant payments of up to £200 per household.

Receiving a grant from this fund will not impact any other benefits you may be receiving or may be entitled to*

Yes like many councils we have a local hardship scheme

Laudable, but then that does begin to seem more like what worriedwell meant - charity and many older people might be reluctant to enquire about that.

That should have been TIME

Instead of wasting yi.e and money releasing a record they should be out there helping those that need it to fill in the many many pages needed to even try to get Pension Credit.

Yes like many councils we have a local hardship scheme

This is Birmingham, dont want to quote mine as regards privacy but our scheme is very much the same:

Grants are for:
*energy and food, with grant payments of up to £200 per household.

Receiving a grant from this fund will not impact any other benefits you may be receiving or may be entitled to*

Allira

^Alas once you give something to someone it is very hard to take it away.^
This is true. These add-ons can be given with one hand, taken away with another.

Perhaps pensions should be increased to levels more commensurate to those of European countries.

I agree, just make pensions better all year round.

North Lincolnshire Council are giving free Air Fryers & Slow Cookers & lessons in how to use them to some pensioners.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gz5djj50do

Spare a thought for those of us in rural districts with no natural gas. Not only do we have to pay more to heat our homes but the options with which we can do so are being reduced. We use a mix of electricity and LPG ,both expensive, and now the LPG has been made more so because our bulk tank has been removed this year because it "no longer complies with new legislation" ,although its been there over 20 years without any problem, so we now have to use the much smaller cylinders which are eye wateringly expensive. Obviously we have also lost our WFA and , before you ask, we're not eligible for any credits. I'm sorry for the rant but it has made me feel slightly better .

Allira

^Alas once you give something to someone it is very hard to take it away.^
This is true. These add-ons can be given with one hand, taken away with another.

Perhaps pensions should be increased to levels more commensurate to those of European countries.

Absolutely!!!

Gin

The WFP should never have been introduced, giving it to all just because they were old was just plain stupid. Alas once you give something to someone it is very hard to take it away. An acquaintance of mine was bitterly complaining about her WFP loss as ‘ I always use it to buy my grand children good presents!

I am surprised no one has mentioned the Hardship Payments provided by local governments. Any one on a low income can apply if they are in need. My understanding is that they received extra Government funding after the withdrawal of the fuel payment and no one should be freezing or eating cold food.

Not only that but some energy suppliers do give help.

My empathy goes to those who, no fault of their own, live in country areas and have no gas and have to rely on extremely expensive oil for their heating, who haven’t seemed to have had much help at all, often live in rural areas in older less insulated houses.

I’m not an “I’m alright Jack”, but I do genuinely feel this is an all out attack on Labour, rather than empathy towards those on low incomes, just above the threshold.

I can assure you many many more families suffered under Austerity.

Jeanathome May I suggest you re read your comment. If you do not know what is wrong with it, well, poor you.

Mt61

Just lost my dad to Alzheimer’s & Raynaud’s disease, just before he passed, him & mum were sat with a blanket & hot water bottles too scared to put the heating on for long. Flip side of the coin- my niece live near to hotel that houses migrants- she said that most of their windows were opened, probably stifling hot. Now my dad is dead money is even tighter but because she she slightly over the threshold she can’t claim PC. Makes my blood boil. Not only that she’s eating cold food because it cost too much to put the oven on 😩this government do not care as long as they are getting their heating allowance for their second homes- why don’t they live in a shared hostel if they need somewhere to stay whilst working in the city- would make more sense!

I'm sorry to hear about your Dad and the decline in comfort that was suffered. A slow cooker costs about as much to run as a lightbulb and a flask can be useful too. A microwave uses very little power and you can often find one on freecycle.

I'm not entirely sure of the connection with migrants.

Alas once you give something to someone it is very hard to take it away.
This is true. These add-ons can be given with one hand, taken away with another.

Perhaps pensions should be increased to levels more commensurate to those of European countries.

Just listened to it - ooh, it is quite strong, isn't it!!

The WFP should never have been introduced, giving it to all just because they were old was just plain stupid. Alas once you give something to someone it is very hard to take it away. An acquaintance of mine was bitterly complaining about her WFP loss as ‘ I always use it to buy my grand children good presents!

I am surprised no one has mentioned the Hardship Payments provided by local governments. Any one on a low income can apply if they are in need. My understanding is that they received extra Government funding after the withdrawal of the fuel payment and no one should be freezing or eating cold food.

I know that charities should not engage in political debate or campaigning.

🤔 I don't know - would accepting profits from a politically-motivated protest song be counted as that or not?

GrannyGravy13

Wyllow3

It did occur that Age UK was in a very tough situation because of this.

They didn’t have to be recipients of the money…

Didn't the last government pass some laws about the involvement of charities in politics?

Would it be actually illegal for Age UK to accept the money?

Wyllow3

It did occur that Age UK was in a very tough situation because of this.

They didn’t have to be recipients of the money…

It did occur that Age UK was in a very tough situation because of this.

MaizieD

Allira

keepingquiet

Just to come back in after some judgemental posts here.

There is no reason anyone should freeze to death. Pension credit has been available for years but a lot of pernsioners didn't know or didn't claim it. This meant there was a massive fund of unclaimed money in the coffers.
Now many pensioners are better off than they were and can afford to heat their homes, if they choose to do so.

I am not an 'alright Jack' at all. I frequently go into other people's homes which are cold, because for some reason they prefer it that way.

I have serious chest disease which means I will get ill if I get cold. I suppose it is a matter of choice in the end. No one can force you to heat your home.

Recently I was told of a conversation on board a cruise ship. The people were bragging about where and when they had been on several cruises that year but were up in arms that they weren't getting their winter fuel allowance.

It depends on your priorities I suppose. I can't afford cruises but I heat my home because I care about my health.

That argument is baseless. It's spurious and I don't know why posters keep using it.

The people who go on cruises can afford to heat their homes and won't be complaining that the can't.

Those in a position to claim Pension Credit will get the WFA - if they claim, but some may not know they can and need help to do so.

It's the ones just above the limit who may and probably are struggling.

You clearly haven't read keepingquiet's first post, in which she says:

^I am just above the pension credit threshold (not by much!) and can still afford to heat my home more cheaply that I did last winter... I really don't know what the fuss is about.^

Yes, I did, and perhaps I should have included keepingquiet in my earlier answer to growstuff.

Some people's income might be just above the threshold but their outgoings may leave them little for energy bills and even food.

Of course not every pensioner needs the WFA, no-one is saying that at all but as we don't know keepingquiet's circumstances, we have no reference point for comparison with another pensioner who may be struggling.

So we are now being invited to buy it as an anti government protest song. I might be old fashioned, but I'd hate this and future Christmases to be dominated by warring political hatreds

Agreed Wyllow👏👏👏

I don’t ‘begrudge’ AGE UK receiving donations, but I’m disappointed that they’re willing to be associated with such overtly political anti-government propaganda at Christmas.

I don’t think you’re ‘old fashioned’ Wyllow. I don’t want Christmas charity to be ‘soiled’ by politically motivated rhetoric - of any colour!

(that was a response to "It's the ones just above the limit who may and probably are struggling.")