To think the government need to drastically increase and overhaul the Warm Home Discount?

[Thoosa]

I’ve been trying to work out how customers on low incomes are going to absorb the fuel price increases.

I’m okay but I will definitely notice the increase. If this had happened when the DC were small, it would have tipped me into insolvency, though.

So I’m thinking the first measure should be to triple or quadruple the WHD, to at least give people a fighting chance. Maybe extend it to anyone who receives child benefit too? AIBU?

@Thoosa why as a cash bonus though why not off the bill or credit to a meter that way the money is straight on the fuel

I do, but only for households where residents are housebound due to chronic health conditions which require them to use more than five hours of heating a day. I don’t think the government is responsible for other working households with able bodied family members. I don’t think that anybody else needs the heating on for more than a couple of hours morning and a couple in the evenings. You may like it or be used to it but actual need is very different

I don’t think the government should be held responsible for compensating people for the lifestyle sacrifices they are having to make due to price rises either. These are clearly determined by the global market. People need to say goodbye to the lifestyle they enjoyed pre 2020 forever. There was no sunlit uplands and even if one emerges in the future, we are talking generations

@Soffit

I do, but only for households where residents are housebound due to chronic health conditions which require them to use more than five hours of heating a day. I don’t think the government is responsible for other working households with able bodied family members. I don’t think that anybody else needs the heating on for more than a couple of hours morning and a couple in the evenings. You may like it or be used to it but actual need is very different

I think the fact that it's a fixed discount is a good thing as it doesn't benefit people more who choose to use more energy. Though I would support social tariffs for people who have a vulnerability that means they need to use more energy.

@Thoosa

Well that’s a fair point *@BlueSummerBaby*

The year I would have qualified I don’t know about it. There’s no reason it needs to be run this way, though. It could be paid as a cash bonus to anyone receiving pension credit, ESA, child benefit or UC. With no application needed.

True, they managed it with the £200 payment this year. Or they could just raise wages and benefits so people could afford to live.

Or they could just raise wages and benefits so people could afford to live.

There’s a radical notion!

@worriedatthemoment

where do you think the money would come from to pay for it though ? And the warn home discount people moan a out well off pensioners getting it , they prob would of paid a lot of tax over the years and prob still are so why shouldn't they get it , plus sometimes the admin cost of working out who is eligible and who isn't costs more than the savings

I think you’re muddling up Warm Home Discount and Winter Fuel Payment.

Finding a way to streamline the whole things and maybe merge the two into something wider, would be good.

Or they could just raise wages and benefits so people could afford to live.

That would push prices up to cover the wage increases - it's a vicious circle.

I mean, heaven forfend that company bosses and shareholders take a minor dip in their bonuses and dividends.

[quote worriedatthemoment]@Thoosa why as a cash bonus though why not off the bill or credit to a meter that way the money is straight on the fuel [/quote]
I have my Warm Home allowance paid directly to E-on to come off my winter bill and I also have the Winter Fuel Allowance of £200 which goes directly into my bank so I have £340 paid off my account I just don't know how I would keep my home warm if I was not eligible for these payments.

I know this like 9 month old thread but absolutely inhumane for anyone especially children and babies to be sat in the cold it's soon cold again its been awful I'm using £20 every 2 days at least its so crippling keeping warm isn't a luxury.

I've received this for the past few years, on low income, but this year I won't get it because they've changed the rules, now you only get it if you have high energy use. Not sure how I'll manage with the ridiculous costs. I'm no longer using the cooker, do washing as little as possible, don't use the electric shower much, keep the heating as low as I can. I don't know what else I can do.

Some older people are getting double winter fuel payment - up to £600, plus £400 that everyone is getting. many on pension credit or other means tested benefits are have had £650 extra this year with more planned next year. Plus cold weather payments in some areas. Then for many warm home discount on top. Honestly it's all adding up to an awful lot of money !

I've always been a relatively low user but qualified in the past as well as this year; it's based on higher costs of energy needed to heat a property properly. I'd still receive it if I turned the heating off.

As it is, I've developed COPD this year which means i should be aiming for a daytime temp of 21 and 18 overnight. I'm actually now only using slightly more than the amount of gas my EPC reckons i need as a bare minumum, instead of half as much in previous years.

Sorry that was to @ItsMeHiImTheProblem

Are you talking about the amazingly generous (🙄), whopping 2% that's being offered?

£650 as all gone for us on electric and gas also the £66 a month hasn't lasted long the greedy #astard## energy company need to drop the prices.

They should be forced by law to drop the prices affordable for all. Its greed and nothing less people wouldn't need so many hand out if it was affordable.

Yeah I don't know why I'm not eligible, online it just says my property doesn't meet the requirements. I have fibromyalgia, keeping warm helps me deal with the constant pain.

I am fucked by energy bill increase, am single, live alone, earn c.25k, it’s going to cripple me, no question