Heating allowance

Hi Rosina the subject comes up on Gransnet too and is also hotly debated:

www.gransnet.com/legal-and-money/donating-winter-fuel-allowance

In France many things are sorted by the income tax office - they know exactly everyone's income and give any rebates etc automatically.

Currently, some people get Pension Credit and others get attendance allowance, some get both. They should get it and also free prescriptions etc. Those of us who have decent pensions and earnings and/or investments, shouldn't!

So they do here, Welshwife, but this isn't a case of who's entitled to the heating allowance. Everyone over a certain age is entitled to it, but some feel they do not want or need it.

I can't see the problem. If DH didn't want his, he'd simply donate it to a charity of his choice. Means testing is always costly as it has to be constantly reviewed. If enough of the comfortably off complain loudly enough and for long enough, we'll probably end up with it being abolished, and those who need it having to do without. It's already been cut in recent years.

If people think they don't need it they can always give it to charity. Most people I know need and rely on it.

I was brought up not to discuss money especially when in social company - nearly always ends in a row.

What an afternoon for you!
Giving to charity if not needed is one option, giving to family members who may need it at Christmas is another.

At least it wasn't a row over Brexit
Makes a change!

Correct me if I have got the maths wrong, but donating it to charity could be giving them more couldn’t it if you Gift Aid it and as a tax payer oresumably that is legitimate?
Win, win.

There is the argument that the State Pension should be increased so that these allowances (which are not subject to the triple lock) are not needed.
However, some people may not be able to put aside that extra £2 per week to enable them to heat their homes in the winter so coming when it does is probably the best way of administering it.
Those who do not need it can donate it to charity or to less well-off family members as suggested above.

My £10 Christmas bonus (plus) was spent on filling a shoebox for a homeless person.

I used to gift aid then realised that I'm not a tax payer

What everyone forgets whenever this subject comes up is that this 'winter heating allowance' was originally paid instead of a pension increase that year. Had it been incorporated into the pension we wouldn't continually be arguing about it many years later!

I do think it should be part of the pension for admin reasons and also because then it would be taxed too. That would be a win for the UK and a minor loss for people who could afford it.

That of course all leads on to the £10 bonus!

I'd forgotten all about the £10 bonus. I don't think I've had it yet.

I have shared it with my daughter in the past when she was alive.
As things are going I think I will need the heating bonus this year. I find I need things slightly warmer to feel ok these days.

I wonder if it would be expensive to set up for everyone to claim their heating allowance. Then, the people who feel they don't need it, wouldn't claim.
I'm not keen on the means testing as I don't get pension credit but, like many other pensioners, I am single with a small private pension and definitely not well off.

I think that would cost more to administer than just paying it to everyone with their pension.
I did think - oh, my pension has gone up then realised it was £10 Christmas bonus week!

The DWP will know who is entitled and who isn't and should pay it accordingly this year I have donated mine to our local Church Charity which supplies Christmas lunch to people who would be on their own on 25th our young wives do all the catering and we usually feed about 25/30 people in total .

Anyone donating please think about whether you can do it by gift aiding. It makes such a difference, at least another £40. I never give money if I can help it unless I can give it as gift aid. Surprised me at a recent funeral that there was a donation box (manned) and no mention of gift aid. I had already written my cheque and attached a note.

Speaking as someone who can't afford to retire but is struggling financially, the winter fuel allowance (which I am entitled to because I'm over state pension age, and which I've claimed for the first time this year) has been a lifesaver - and I wouldn't have got it if it had been included in the pension.

So keep the current, system, I say! I can't see what the problem is - give it away if you don't need it.

Those who don't need the WFA can, as others say, donate it to charity. Means testing would be costly but an alternative would be to only pay it to basic rate tax payers.

You've solved a mystery for me though. We had a payment into our bank account for £10 and wondered what it was!

Gift Aid is so simple, at least that is what I thought.
My late husband made a generous gift to the hospice. After he died I received a letter from the IRS stating they had made payment to the hospice but as my husband had not paid enough tax in that year they were now demanding repayment from his estate.
I should have fought it but I had no fight left in me at that awful time. I wrote them a cheque and tried to banish the memory from my mind but it still rankles after 14 years.

I have turned up the heating with a clear conscience.

Esspee - I was asked in a charity shop whether I paid much tax and advised not to Gift Aid any donations else I could end up in your position.

I've paid tax and NI all my working life. People better off than I am paid more. I'm not complaining about the winter fuel allowance. Maybe people in my position should get a bit extra since there's no mains gas where I live. Other fuels are way more expensive. £200 makes a welcome dent in my bill for heating oil.