Winter fuel payments for the elderly.

[Leekbrookgull]

With the current cold snap various groups are saying the winter fuel payments for those in need are not enough,however on the radio yesterday it was mentioned these payments were made BEFORE christmas ? If that is the case would it not be better to make it payable for the next bill your are going to get ? As the caller said the danger with pre-christmas payments it can get spent on other things.

 

[rool]

What happens here in Ireland is that pensioners get a contribution directly to their electricity bill all year round. Same with telephone.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Is that payment linked ? Say your phone bill for 3 months is £30,do the Govt make sure their contribution does direct to the phone company ?

 

[rool]

Is that payment linked ? Say your phone bill for 3 months is £30,do the Govt make sure their contribution does direct to the phone company ?

Yes it is. I don't know how much the contribution is but my parents just have to pay the net figure.

 

[Yoda]

Winter Fuel Payments are made at the start of Winter, yes. That's the big lump sum one they get every year.

What the gov have been on about is Cold Weather Payments, something completely different, which is paid during an exceptionally cold snap like we're having now.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

But is the winter payment linked to a supply company ? Or is it a lump some you can use for what you want to ?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

So-called "Winter Fuel Payments" are simply tax-free payments made to people who qualify by being aged 60 or over. They are paid at the rate of £250 per household. They are paid every winter, irrespective of income, as a one-off sum, but it doesn't matter how people use the money. People get a Winter Fuel Payment even if they are still in full-time work. If they are having a long winter holiday in the hottest part of the South of Spain, people still qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment. Winter Fuel Payments do not depend on how cold the weather gets.

There is no logic in calling them "Winter Fuel Payments". They might just as accurately be called "Sky TV Payments", "Dog Food Payments" or "Albion Season Ticket Subsidies". You don't, however, get a Winter Fuel Payment if you are in prison, in hospital (for at least a year), or if you live in a care home and are in receipt of certain benefits. People who live in care homes who do qualify get a reduced rate of Winter Fuel Payment (only £125) - quite right too, since we don't want folk like that buying Albion Season Tickets.

There are quite different payments, called Cold Weather Payments, that are paid to people on some income-related benefits, but only when the weather reaches a certain temperature.

 

[skipper734]

£250 to spend on what you like. Payed from the start of November. Cold weather payments are also paid into your bank account if the temp is 0 or below for 24 hrs a day for 7 days.
Up to today south of the Thames we have got 1. Some northern monkeys have got 4.
It really does go on the heating bill, honest.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Thank-you, L/B so frankly if it is to be used to help people to pay a heating bill it should be linked to the supply company and not a blank cheque which it appears to be ? Do you know is this a cross party agreement or 'New Labour' wasting tax-payers money ?

 

[skipper734]

Thank-you, L/B so frankly if it is to be used to help people to pay a heating bill it should be linked to the supply company and not a blank cheque which it appears to be ? Do you know is this a cross party agreement or 'New Labour' wasting tax-payers money ?

Don't knock it son. If you are lucky you may get to 60 yourself one day.
It really is a pension top up,as the level of pension in this country is so low compared with the rest of Europe, so it saves the country money.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Thank-you, L/B so frankly if it is to be used to help people to pay a heating bill it should be linked to the supply company and not a blank cheque which it appears to be ? Do you know is this a cross party agreement or 'New Labour' wasting tax-payers money ?

I don't know. Winter Fuel Payments were first introduced in 1997, at the rate of £20 a household, so it's definitely a New Labour thing. The size of the payment is reviewed every year - so it's possible that a Tory government could keep them as they are, reduce them, or increase them.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Aha ! Found it.

Speaking at this year's Conservative Party Conference, George Osborne said:-

"We will preserve child benefit, winter fuel payments and free TV licenses. They are valued by millions".

That's OK then. Although it would be nice if he could spell "licences" correctly.

The Conservative Party | News | Speeches | George Osborne: We will lead the economy out of crisis

 

[Lord Bracknell]

It really is a pension top up,as the level of pension in this country is so low compared with the rest of Europe, so it saves the country money.

I know that pensioners get the Winter Fuel Payment - and you are right in what you say in connection with the payments that go to pensioners.

But don't forget - a 60 year old man gets a Winter Fuel Payment even if he is in work and still five years off qualifying for his pension.

It's reassuring to know, for example, that the Secretary of State for Justice, Jack Straw (aged 63), gets one.

 

[Spun Cuppa]

I was talking to a homeless man about this time last year, who had been 'living' under a boat on the beach. He said that the Council were under a legal obligation to house him, temporarily, because it had gone below 0 degrees for three consecutive days. I asked him what would happen after it 'warmed up' and he said, 'Back to the beach...' Makes one count one's blessings...

 

[withdeanwombat]

I got my payment before Christmas and spent it three times over on things other than heating.But I'm burning the furniture now !

 

[BensGrandad]

I don't know. Winter Fuel Payments were first introduced in 1997, at the rate of £20 a household, so it's definitely a New Labour thing. The size of the payment is reviewed every year - so it's possible that a Tory government could keep them as they are, reduce them, or increase them.

Not quite right but nearly. The actual payment for which you initially have to apply for in September, but not anymore after that time, is £200 for over 60s and £ 400 for older, I think it is over 80 as my mum gets it but she is 90. It was increased to £250 for 2008 but reverted back this year to £200 which we received last week in November.

They now pay an extra £25 per 7 days when the temperatures are exceptionally low, not sure of the exact temperature for this payment. You do not have to apply for those payments as they are decided on and issued by postcode. We received £25 2 days before Christmas and would expect some more very soon with the current cold spell but my mother didnt get anything in Worthing as said to have been not so cold prior to Christmas.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Not quite right but nearly. The actual payment for which you initially have to apply for in September, but not anymore after that time, is £200 for over 60s and £ 400 for older, I think it is over 80 as my mum gets it but she is 90. It was increased to £250 for 2008 but reverted back this year to £200 which we received last week in November.

They now pay an extra £25 per 7 days when the temperatures are exceptionally low, not sure of the exact temperature for this payment. You do not have to apply for those payments as they are decided on and issued by postcode. We received £25 2 days before Christmas and would expect some more very soon with the current cold spell but my mother didnt get anything in Worthing as said to have been not so cold prior to Christmas.

Well I got £250 in November.

But I don't qualify for ANY Cold Weather Payment - mainly because I've got a job.

This is SOOOO unfair. I have to sit at work and expect my employers to pay to keep me warm.

Incidentally ... the higher rate (£400 per household) is paid if any household member is over 80.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Skipper,i am not really knocking it. Just happen to think it should be linked to your supply company at least that way if you ever fell 'behind' and they came 'knocking' and things got bad so much so you went to CAB or your M/P you can prove they had got your winter fuel payment (ok you may still be short) but at least you had not blown it !!

 

[skipper734]

It's a bit like child benefit. Does it all get spent on the children?

 

[dougdeep]

Well I got £250 in November.

But I don't qualify for ANY Cold Weather Payment - mainly because I've got a job.

This is SOOOO unfair. I have to sit at work and expect my employers to pay to keep me warm.

Incidentally ... the higher rate (£400 per household) is paid if any household member is over 80.

You're never 60 Lord B?