In article , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes
Because it would cost more. It's a good way of getting a nice soundbite at the minimum cost. Plus of course it costs the same to heat the home whether it contains one person or two, Don't forget about 30000 people per year the vast majority elderly, die unnecessarily from cold related conditions each winter
No idea. I am merely recounting the situation before I left my ex-wife.
half each. Now I get £200 and I expect so does she.
But it reduced the cost to ?150
No. They will be treated as independent people. The £200 pot is shared equally between them.
If your house isn't occupied you will have no qualifying residents.
In article , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes
The state doesn't interfere to that level thank goodness.
and that's because:
"** Your partner getting the benefit will get the Winter Fuel Payment on your behalf"
That is, in those circs. it is exceptionally *not* split equally between the 2 people but all paid to the one.
That leaves the position where both partners qualify and both get one of the benefits listed. I _think_ that is not addressed directly because those benefits must be claimed jointly by co-habiting partners.
And I was curious how they picked *which* one in that case.
If ya house ain't occupied, ye
Owners on holiday...
IIRC the one who made the (joint) claim for the benefits. (But I could well be not-C.)
You think wrong, when she qualifies she will get £100 and you will be reduced to £100. Don't ask how I know!
Peter
Don't try to be a smart arse.
wish I hadn't asked .......
??
As far as I know, owners on holidays still get paid the benefit (them that can afford holidays in winter to second homes abroad).
Ok, I'm a dick. Rules have just changed.
In message , Jim GM4DHJ ... writes
Glad you did - interesting discussion, and yes, I now appreciate that my wife will not receive 100 in addition to my 200 :-)
Still not sure why I qualify for winter allowance but not old age pension. You would expect the two to be paid from the same date.
Interesting comments re payment of bills by DDM, too. There are still a lot of pensioners who still pay bills quarterly, and, of course, the winter bills are far higher than summer, so that 200 is a real lifesaver.
As far as I know, you can no longer collect your pension in cash from the PO. It has to go through a bank account of some sort. And I'd say it would be very difficult to pay a quarterly gas bill etc with cash.
So there really is no reason not to change to monthly payments and save money too.
Some pensioners do still use a Post Office Card Account to collect their pension. You can't use one of those to pay by DD.
Why? Last time I looked paper bills from major energy suppliers can be paid by cash at post offices and banks, and in many cases at shops (eg PayPoint, Payzone).
And then there's the people on pre-payment who can buy top-ups with cash.
Well just one reason may be that they don't have someone like you to hold their hand while they get a bank account and learn to use things like monthly DD. And how to manage their money that way. But there may well be a charity in your area where you could volunteer and help them.
Why would you want to go and collect your pension in cash?
I'd hope those who'd go to this bother vanishing rapidly...
Err, thought we were talking about quarterly bills? Those who use pre-payment must be pretty rare.
I've had a bank account for almost 60 years. At least 60 if you include the savings bank one I had as a kid.
The fact the government stopped paying the OAP in cash - and that the WHA is paid into a bank account - means that every OAP has access to one.
No. It's linked to the female retirement age (like bus passes). This was done for 'equality' reasons. That age is creeping up, of course, until it equalises with the male one.
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