Some families to get a total of £1,200 cash, to support with cost of living crisis.

[flashbac]

Highlights:
All families can now keep the 200 quid energy payment, no longer repayment based. This will be topped up to £400.
Low income families to get £650 straight into bank account.
(Non means tested) disabled benefit recipients to get £150.
All in all some will receive total of £1,200.
Funded by windfall tax.

Here's the Govt Factsheet issued today, it's pretty helpful:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-living-support/cost-of-living-support-factsheet-26-may-2022

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius

I wasn’t shouting at you or anyone else in particular, just felt the need to do some bold and capital letters so new folks to the thread didn’t rehash old ground 🙂

Wherever you draw the line, even via a simple algorithm of who gets what benefit etc. to qualify, will always mean someone genuinely deserving who is just over the threshold misses out. I personally think this a universal payment is the best way.

Despite what comes out on threads like this, the average Jo(e) British public does the right thing. People give to charity, food banks, volunteer their time and open their homes to refugees. There is no reason to think the majority who don’t need the grant won’t do the same here.

They are targeting those on benefits already. There is £150 for those who are disabled on non means tested benefits. Those on UC and legacy means tested benefits will receive £650 on top of the £400.

Ah ok, that makes sense. Thank you 😊

That's not true. There are plenty of companies willing to frack, provided the police do their job, and allow them to frack without interference from radical green activists. And even if there wasn't, the government could make it favourable so that companies stepped in.

There really aren’t… not now. And not companies which are viable.

Re; the people saying 'I don't NEED the £400 energy grant, how can I refuse it.' I am willing to bet a lot of money that the vast VAST majority of people saying this will still take the money. These threads don't half bring out the virtue signallers!

Yes there are some virtue signallers in life. If the VAST majority are like that, how do you account for the amount of money given to food banks and charities etc. every year given by the British public. I think you really do people a disservice.

Thanks @Sortilege - I knew years ago they had like "you can earn £xxxx" but it's more complicated now.

I know from looking in the past, we don't qualify for anything apart from child benefit.

The ones parping on about how they will be giving money away because they don't NEEEED the grants are (IMO) very unlikely to do that. It's just virtue signalling lip service. The ones who WILL do it won't say anything/brag/parp on about it/let everyone know they have allegedly done it!

You have no idea who I am @PurpleButterflyWings and I have no intention of coming on here to tell anyone what I've done with the money when it eventually reaches me.

As for whether people should publicise what they do? Well that's actually a more complex thing than you think. Giving privately feels like the right thing to do. But as a trustee of a charity, I'm aware that hearing of other people making donations actually stimulates more people to do so.

It definitely works with businesses and very rich people. Competitive giving and publicity is a big win for charities, however seedy it might seem.

So I'm all for an organisation setting up a website and social media posts to encourage people who don't need the winter fuel allowance (or the £400) to donate it to those who do. And I don't give a rat's arse whether those donors do it anonymously or tell their entire town.

@PaddingtonBearStareAgain
Yes, so it's possible. I think they should give more to those on benefits already and not to high income pensioners in multimillion pound homes.

Its great that everyone will get some help, and many who really need it will get extra.

There’s always some people that complain it’s unfair and they should get more. Personally I think it’s great that some help will be available, it’s not meant to cover the entire cost of living but provide some help so it’s not such a big jump in costs.

And of that 5.5m on UC, 40% of them are working. Many of those are only claiming for help with rent and childcare.

We don't need the £400 per se but will use it towards bills.

It is worth people struggling checking with CAB as might be that they are able to claim something- and for those on benefits remember to contact broadband provider as they have lower tariffs with decent speeds still for those in receipt of certain things.

Do they not really? I'll have to speak to him; he's come out of the accommodation so maybe that's where I'm confusing it. He did say he's back and forth. Fortunately he's at uni in the next city to where we live. Thanks for the heads up.

@angieloumc oh yeah, sometimes accomodation doesn't run for the whole year, but PhDs (well all the ones I have heard of) do... it's a great quiet time to get work done with out the undergraduates (who are lovely) around but can be costly as you cannot earn from teaching without them there.

There aren't exactly tonnes of pensioners living in multi million pound homes.

What about those that don't claim anything that are just about managing, don't claim any benefits so wouldn't count in means testing. It is well known that many pensioners as a group don't claim all that they should.

Those on benefits are getting £1,200 (£150 plus £650 plus £400)

No system is perfect.

www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/05/26/ftse-100-markets-live-windfall-tax-bp-share-price-energy/

Fark. So now we are at risk of further cost rises because of less energy security if companies pull out of the North Sea. Also greater risk potentially of environmental issues.

@BensonStabler
I'm on cont based ESA too so I think it's unfair that we will miss out on the £650, just as we did on the £20pw UC uplift
We have the same extra expenses after all

Thank you, you are right. Just asked my son, and he's bemused why I thought that, he said it shows how much I listen! Still it is nice him being here for the moment. I'll have a very empty nest in September.

Shame on all you people bashing those on benefits and low incomes. How does the poorest in society bring helped out in a time of need affect you? The majority of people on benefits are not the fag smoking sky watching scroungers that the right wing loves to portray. People are understandably angry about the current financial situation but that anger needs to be directed upwards at the oil companies, and the billionaire friends of the tories, and the lying tax dodgers and the big bosses who make millions in bonuses. There is enough in this country for everyone to be comfortable. People who are poor are mostly not lazy, they have had bad luck or experienced dv, or not had the opportunities that others have had. Being financially comfortable and having a good job doesn't make you better than them, it makes you luckier than them.

Charitable giving stats here

• People gave £11.3 billion to charity in the UK in 2020, up from £10.6 billion in 2019

• People aged over 65 are more likely to engage in charitable activities (65% donate money to charity)

• Three in 10 people are regular givers. Women are more likely than men to give regularly

• A total of £4.305 billion has been gifted over the past 12 months in 2021/2020 from the top 1%. (10)

• There has been a 36.1% rise on the £3.164 billion donated in 2020 by the top 1%

Is it enough - no, but the perception pensioners will all be booking Afternoon Tea at The Ritz with their £400 is simply unfounded.

Oops

www.nptuk.org/philanthropic-resources/uk-charitable-giving-statistics/

To be honest, those getting excited about getting the money will need every penny of it once we get to autumn. The money will probably just about cover the extra increase in fuel bills. If we think it’s difficult now, just imagine how much our bills are going to increase by when the cap changes again. Just hope that people getting that money don’t think it’s a windfall, and go on a crazy spending spree, especially with the run up to Xmas, and then come on here to moan that they can’t afford their bills come the new year, because the money has been spent on other stuff.

We don't need the £400 per se but will use it towards bills.

The £400 is credited directly to your energy account so you won't have a choice.

Whilst the handouts will no doubt help a bit in the short term they are not going to help people next year or going forward.
As has been said, just a tiny sticking plaster for what is a gaping wound.

We know who won’t get it the disabled who are childless .