Donating Winter fuel allowance to the young unemployed!

I am giving my DHs Winter fuel allowance to a charity called EON apparently their shareholders are having a lean time of it and have had to put the prices up.

Has anyone been notified that the WFA is being paid to them? I thought last year I had received a letter by now telling me it would be paid direct to my Bank but so far nothing. I have a horrible feeling that they have got things muddled for me after my husband died. I have written to the DWP about another matter and 8 weeks later am still waiting for a reply!

I haven't heard yet and it's still quite early in November. I don't think it's time to panic yet.

I really feel the cold and the only way I can persuade DH to up the thermostat is to remind him of the WF. Don't let them make me give it up!

I've not heard yet either - I think the DWP are in a terrible mess. They paid me the wrong amount of pension for 5 years! Fortunately for me it was in my favour and I received a cheque for £5000 and a monthly increase of £100. The down side of that is I had no idea i was being short-changed and that much shortfall could have led to serious financial difficulties. The system is so complicated we have no way of checking if we're in receipt of the correct amount.
I spent the money on new double glazing as the old stuff was in real need of replacing and I couldn't have afforded it before.

Hunt it may be controversial but I don't think any government are going to risk annoying that many voters! REmember we are growing in number and we are more likely to vote than any other group!

It is the guilt trip. If you seriously don't need it, then perhaps you should donate it. Some lucky people are abroad for the winter months & not shivering like most of us in the UK.

We do give our WF to our son, wife + 2 children, who both work but still earn less than a same size family across the road living on benefits, who would be the unemployed we should donate to. Give us a break what about the decent young people that are working all hours for a basic wage and the unemployed get more per hour than they do.

Well there we go again we are supposed to sit in the cold and do nothing. Somehow at this end of life we are abandoned. A nursery with no heating and nothing to do would be regarded as criminal? Luckily most of us are busy doing voluntary work. Yes we are working for free it actually costs us to do this. We rarely commit crimes or even break the law. Driving well within speed limit, crossing roads on crossings etc. etc. in fact we are so good we are invisible. But don't forget it is the YOUNG who are doing this to us, we wouldn't do it to each other. Though I must say some politicians aren't far away from the pension but they act as if they were immortal and immune from such a fate. Vanity seems to make them into Peter Pans. My gripe is tv and all those people presenting, sat on sofas, panels etc. in their summer clothes whilst I am under my snuggle blanket The sight of them makes me shiver. Are we all in this together I don't think so. Donate it to the Young? No if you don't need it now put it in the bank you are only going to get older, maybe 100, and they may withdraw it in the future even if it stays the same it will be worth less as the Christmas bonus still £10.

I'm with you there, fieldwake. In the main, politicians and their like, if not already well-heeled, take on a different persona once settled comfortably and cosily in office. They are not immune from becoming old, but are immune from ever having to worry about how to pay any bill for fuel or anything else....

Joan Bakewell has joined in now! The oldies champion. To be fair, I'm pretty sure she is talking about the really rich.

I rang the WFA helpline and was told letters would be going out in the next couple of weeks and should receive payment around 3rd week of December. Does anyone else feel this is a bit late - by then the weather could have turned very cold. Does anyone else think this payment should be made say, beginning of November.

Well ...I didn't claim mine, though entitled, as I was still working ...and it didn't seem 'right'.

Now ...living alone ...I needed it and claimed for it last year...too much snow!

Do I need to claim for it every year?

Haven't we paid tax all these years to be entitled to a fuel allowance ? Or am I dreaming? quite possible after a lot of exercise this morning!

Actually, I'm just a tad fed up with people telling me what to do. I didn't get to 61 by being a complete and ineffective clot. Let me decide what I think is right.

No MaggieP - you would get the FA whether or not you had paid tax.

I'm not old enough to qualify, and probably by the time I am it will be scrapped, however living in the cold north I do feel that older people should not be expected to give it away UNLESS they really want to. Last week we were accused of underoccupying our homes and depriving younger people of bigger houses, this week young people need the fuel allowance, I dont think older people can win!

With all due respect, I think Joan Bakewell lives on another planet!

I am with most of the other posters on this thread . I help raise a lot of money each year for local charities and also donate to several others . I am not alone in this ,most fairly fit pensioners that I know do the same , therefore we are already giving more than the fuel allowance to charity ech year . I resent being told what I should or should not do with what is rightly mine !! I think I had better close now before I get personal and say something I shouldn't.As you can see I do feel very strongly about this !!!

I have read through this thread and have arrived at my own conclusion which was the same as when I started .
I am surprised that no one has actually mentioned the cause of the problem,because the not so well off have to pay as they go they have to pay much more for their gas and electricity.
The utility companies tell us that because it is so expensive to run these systems they have to charge a much higher tarrif, added to this the payment cards must be purchased from local newsagents etc and they would also not be doing this for nothing ,they would be taking their cut.
20% would be a conservative estimate of the extra they must pay,if you take this as an average of the yearly fuel bill then an amount of over £200.00 raises it's ugly head.
Familiar figures?
I can't understand that the poorest section of the population have to pay the
highest price
After all they are unable to try around for a better price ,are not able to pay by direct debit or get fixed prices.
Surely in this age of computers and the like some system could be put into situe by these fat utility companies to ease the burden
The question is "do they want to?" profit is their god.And they will no doubt produce figures to show it is not possible,but we all know the figuers will show what they want us to see.
I know there is a simple solution that these highly paid wizz kids can come up with
Perhaps the charity involved would approach these people and get some dialogue going.

To my amazement i got my winter heat allowance although I am still at work-I thought it only went to real pensioners. I donate mine to charity quietly- I agree we shoud not let the government know some of us do this as it will give them an excuse to take it away from those who need it. The UK must be the only country in europe that lets elderly people suffer from lack of warmth/food when they have worked all their lives to ensure a comfortble retirement.

Too late gregory2 the government are already reading forums like these.

Riclorian I can see where you're coming from. I get angry when charities I already give to phone to see if I'll leave them something in my will or whatever. It's all too much interference and pressure. Having said that, I wonder what the original remark of the charity concerned in this case was. Maybe it was a suggestion rather than an order.

harrigran, No!!!!

harrigran how frightening is that ?