to think that when there is a schools place crisis perhaps the government should think of ways to reduce birth rates?

[jellysandwich]

In my area (London) there is already a huge shortfall in places because there has been a baby boom. They are constantly opening new schools or creating bulge classes but this is often at the expense of other children who lose their playing fields and there is just not enough room in London to keep opening new schools and there is already a housing crisis because the country is so overcrowded.

I think perhaps it is time the government thought about limiting child related benefits to 2 children (which is the replacement rate) and those that want to have more can do so but not with taxpayers money. It would go some way to stopping some of the problems that rising birthrates create such as the school places crisis, overcrowding, pollution, increasing struggles for resources such as food and water and in an already overpopulated world I think the government is being negligent in not putting some sort of limit on child related benefits, especially when it seems to be counter-intuitive (if you work you don't get more money each time you have another child).

filee why don't you give us links to application forms and leaflets about this scheme?

Surely you can see that "my friend got... because..." doesn't sound very reliable.

Stop child benefits after the third child

Filee, no I'm not.

You are talking about the warm homes discount ( currently the only income related reduction available offered by BG)

But in your usual format you have grossly exaggerated the correct figures given that this years highest rebate possible is £135 per year and it has never been higher.

The reason why it is also only offered to pay as you go customers is because it is not a subsidy it is to bring the original cost of the fuel back down to being on a par with none prepayment customers hence you have to evidence the temp you keep your house at and the income % your fuel costs its to prevent people who don't use the difference in prepayment and none prepayment price differences from claiming.

This is the citizens advice page on it www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/consumer_e/consumer_energy_and_water_supply_e/consumer_energy_supply_e/consumer_help_if_youre_older_disabled_or_on_a_low_income_e/warm_home_discount_scheme.htm but I got the most information for it by phoning the individual companies offering the scheme.

Different companies have different qualifiers but all three that I spoke to offered it to those on IS.

That's why then alemci because you would have already used your 12 years available to you by then

More to the point filee why don't you go and read some of the links on the scheme then you may actually learn something

Personally, I am very distrustful of other people's thoughts on third parties' entitlements.

I used to have a council flat. When I got it, I got an allocation for 15 tins of council paint, which I had to collect from an out-of-town depot (i.e. I had to get a taxi back). I had no complaints about that, and I thought it was very generous.

However, to this day, my mother insists I got given a CASH grant of THOUSANDS to buy paint! And that she -saw- it.

Meanwhile my father-in-law has two children, my husband and his elder sister. Years ago, my father-in-law must have decided his daughter was the sensible one, and he makes stuff/twists reality up to support that idea. She isn't awful with money, but she certainly didn't save up and pay off her student loan within a year of graduating!

She saved up, yes. But it was for a mega-holiday to celebrate years of hard work!

The qualifying criteria they have to use by law

Core group automatically qualify solely on income

Over 75's and pensioners who are under 75 if they recive a certain pension top up.

Broader group tied into certain benefits if income is below 16190 and also if earns income is below that BUT also use more than 10% of income on fuel when keeping one room at 21 and the rest at 18 degrees. Some companies will also consider different income groups if other vulnerabilities are an issue.

Its the law that these tarrifs are offered but using the same law no company who charges the same amount for prepayment and billed customers with no direct debit discount has to offer the scheme.

Sock Pixie still a bit confused. i stopped working formally for about 10 year's I suppose but not 12. I worked as an SMSA from about 2001 for a while for the dc's primary school for my sanity but I don't think i made NI contributions at that point but paid into a pension.

but why is it different for me in comparison to other people who don't seem to go to work like the lady another poster alluded to seemingly having dc to prevent her working but i don't think i would want to be in her position anyway. would she get any pension in the same way?

I think alemci has solved the problem of any future over population and coined a new form of contraception.

Big warm Woolley jumpers. Too cold to take them off to dtd and not exactly the most sexy of clothing.
So that's it turn the heating off.

or those awful zip up blankets sold in old people's catalogues.

and keep your pants on in bed. I remember my 10 year old self saying that to my mum. thought the sperm swam across the bed.

For no other reason but to give you a giggle - you should see the state of me in our caravan in March/October. Fluffy pyjamas (is it brushed cotton?), bed socks, thermal vest, fleece cardigan and a wooly hat!

It's not really surprising that DD is an only

LtEv and Alemci

I'm sure that why onsies, and flannelette material was invented.
My mum had nighties, hair in curlers and a net.
No wonder I was adopted.
Oh, I know that's not nice really, they were lovely parents but quite old fashioned.
at sperm swimming across the bed. I used to think if you were kissed 3 times, even on the cheek you would have a baby. I was every time a male relation gave me a peck.

Yes mrsD that's exactly what it is. Its the sole reason for the gov getting involved in the situation.

So if we are going to get all high and mighty about it poor old jake upthread is actually subsidising the likes of filee by paying more for her fuel than than none prepayment cost of fuel.

alemci I reckon that in addition to your sahm years at some time perhaps not all in one hit after you were 18 you had 2 years where you didnt earn enough to pay ni and someone with a bit of sense worked out that to get your full pension you have to have paid for 38/40 years before a certain age (I'm guessing as pensions are not my thing at all) so that's why it was in your interests to do so but pensions are completely beyond me.

DNeice is on a meter. I said on the Jamie Oliver webchat that she has £54.00 a week for her and DGreatNeice. The very first thing she does when she gets her money is top up her card. It doesn't leave much does it . The trouble she's had with that card as well - money not registering, the 'emergency' credit not registering, the card having to be replaced numerous times - it's a bloody shambles.

I once tried to put money on it without her knowing. I'd wanted to put £200 on, but it wouldn't accept it. The max it would take was £50. I don't know if that is normal? Is there a max or was it just the crappy corner shop?

lt most of the time the £50 limit is imposed by the top up shop because to do a transaction above that requires a supervisor card and code it takes a bit longer they have lost the card ect.

But a few its not the shop its the company.

There is 1 company I know of off the top of my head who will allow you to top up something like £150 on the gas and electric each at a time and that's utilita.

MrsD its not that uncommon for people to move out of rented houses not tell anyone they have moved having just had a huge bill debt transferred to prepayment meter,its also not uncommon for the utility company to make up a debt wack it on the meter and count on nobody realising (been on watchdog shit loads)

If you use the on-line service there is a maximum of £49 which can be put on per transaction

And yes, Sock, the previous tenant neglected to tell us there was a huge debt on the meter so whatever we put on ran out extremely quickly! It had to be reset.

Vault that used to be the limit but I've just checked you can do between £10 and £175 on utilita with the online thingy on both gas and electric

When I moved into my current home the previous tenant had "doctored" the electricity key meter so all her electricity was free!

It took the electricity people a month to come out and sort it because it was Christmas time so I had a few weeks of free fuel

I got the gas meter replaced because it was also a key one and on the ground in the front garden Have never bothered with the electricity one.

Electricity is about £45 a month and Gas (which does my heating, hot water etc) is around £80 a month. Fuel is/was my biggest expense after rent although as a Carer I am currently getting housing benefit.

Key meters are known to be the most expensive way of buying fuel as you cant get the best deals available to other customers.

Whose your supplier jake?

I don't believe the electricity meter is costing me any more than my old credit meter despite British Gas telling me this about the new-style ones and me trusting them as far as I can throw them

I dislike direct debits for fuel because they are bastards with their estimated readings and putting the amount up when you are actually in credit so won't take advantage of the discount for that anyway.

The new ones are only expensive if you need to use the emergency credit and I never do, or as has been said, if there is a debt - then they rob you blind.

But I am going to look into Utilia

yy Jake, the best deals involve having the meter(s) replaced and if you're in debt you've got no chance. But they also work out better for switching both and having a direct debit.