To think that you don't need a Winter Fuel Payment

[Bekindtoyourknees]

if you're in a care home and all your expenses are met by the State?

Because of DM's condition, all her care, accommodation and food is funded by the NHS. She has no need for money. So why has she received a Winter Fuel Payment of £100? I called The Pension Service (who make the payments) to explain, but they confirmed she is entitled to it.

Makes me so angry, when there are people (including myself) who are cold because they are worried about their energy bills and don't want to put the heating on

No, she doesn't need it. Anymore than a pensioner who lives in a hot country needs it. It just costs more in admin to discriminate and means test than it does to pay it to everyone. If she feels the same way then she could donate it Children in Need, her favourite charity, you.

Yanbu my nan has the same thing and she lives in a care home too. It really annoys me

It is one of the things I suggested should stop when the government introduced that website to submit cost saving suggestions. YANBU.

Justforlaughs is correct, it would cost more to means-test and remove it from those who don't need it. I know it's counter-intuitive, but it would be stupidly expensive to introduce means-testing.

I would rather everyone got it, even people who don't need it, too ensure those that do really need it get it.

YANBU.

My parents don't need theirs either. They will admit to this, but still take it. PILs spent £7k on a sofa and £21k on a car in cash last Winter. They don't need it either, but argue they paid in.

The sooner it is means tested the better. I know it costs money to means test, but that didn't get in the way when they did CB did it?

If it's so expensive to administer why not just put it onto pension credit which is already means tested?

The cost excuse of bullshit - it's because the Conservatives are scared of losing pensioners' votes.

But you have to be means-tested to receive any other benefit - why are Fuel Payments excluded?

Iam - they aren't exactly means-testing CB. It's not a full system of means testing, anyway. Just asking top rate taxpayers to either pay it back or ask their partner to stop claiming. There's a whole issue there about making women and children entirely dependant on men (given the stay at home parent is almost always a woman).

Mrsminivers - then you get the problem that benefits are a cliff-edge. Someone who gets 1p too much for pension credit loses out in all sorts of ways - doesn't qualify for any of the energy saving stuff, for instance. It's a massive cliff edge between someone with a pension of X amount who gets pension credit and someone with a pension of X plus 1p.

edamsavestheday we aren't talking about means testing though. LA's already advise the DWP when someone goes into resi care as it does stop your entitlement to other benefits such as AA if you are in care and not paying the full cost. It is circumstance rather than means testing and this already happens with certain DWP benefits so they already have required information.

I am invisible there is a big difference between £ 1000 and £100. Cb is cost effective because it saves more than it costs simply because cb is a lot more than wfa is. Save it costs £75 per person to means test and 1 in 5 is saved so with wfa you save £100 for a cost of £375 however for that same £375 you'd save £1000 for cb thats why cb is cost effective and wfa not.

Have you asked your DM if she'll donate her excess £100 to you? A bit of localised redistribution of wealth....

*Cogito" DM doesn't have the mental capacity to give money to me. And as Power of Attorney, I'm not allowed to write myself a cheque!

My parents get the WFA but are flying off to Barbados tomorrow to join their third cruise this year in the Caribbean.

I've been sat here all day cuddling a hot water bottle with my dressing gown on over my clothes

I get the pleasure of moving their post everyday, so that'll warm me up and keep me happy.

cranberryorange If I get too cold I can go and visit my DM. It's at least 35 degrees in her care home