Should I donate my £400 to the foodbank

[Heathofhares]

I’m surprised to discover that we will be getting the fuel allowance. It seems madness when we can afford our bills without help. What are other people in this situation doing ? I am thinking I should maybe donate it to the foodbank or similar. WWYD

Just donate what you can. Our bills will be £400 less than they would otherwise be, putting aside whether they need to go up like they have for a minute, it is what it is. Some things the Government could have helped us with, some not.

So that means, over time, there's £400 in your bank account that would otherwise have gone to the energy companies. So if you feel that you don't need it, donate it, either all of it, half of it, round it up to £500, or make a donation of £50/100 if you can't manage the full amount, whatever.

All that matters far less than helping the people who do need it. Because they don't have enough money to cover the increases in the cost of food, utilities, transport costs, let alone anything else.

We thought we'd make it up to £1,000, which seems only fair, then DH is going to spend a week volunteering in a soup kitchen and I'm donating a kidney to someone in need xoxox

If you want to. It's completely up to you. Tbh you might find it's handy in later life for care home fees or something

what only the one kidney?

Totally agree that discussing this is a good thing, but you can't even mention a charities name on here without being accused of virtue signalling (I once was accused of virtue signalling after saying the RNLI were a charity close to my heart, not even a mention of money).

Oops that was supposed to be in response to @saraclara

Thank you OP this is a really good idea. I will donate too. Seems such a waste to give £400 to households that don't need it although I understand that easier administratively.

That's our plan too. Not only can we afford our bills but our house is very energy efficient

I'm giving a donation to a local charity which provides free counselling to survivors of abuse because I know they are struggling with the increased costs of heating the building. Another charity which I am sure will benefit will be women's aid to heat their hostels.

If you decide to donate, please make sure you post it on Facebook for maximum kudos

I run a food bank. We've recently received 3x £150 council tax rebates from local people. I've used it to buy inordinate quantities of bulk pasta, rice, oats, eggs and similar.

OP, I think many small charities would consider this an enormous help.

Oh that was meant to be funny. Um. Okay.

That's a good idea, I hadn't thought of the rising costs having this affect too. It's really dire, and depressing that no-one who could make a significant difference (in government) ever will. 🙁

Make sure that when you’ve made your donation you come back and start a few threads about it.

This. My fuel allowance goes to the foodbank every winter. It will be needed more than ever this year. At a tangent, I’m genuinely shocked that second home owners are getting two lots.

That's a lovely thought

Personally I wouldn't. But then I see what goes on at foodbanks

Expand?

Sorry, that sounds rude. Could you expand please?

We gave our £150 to a local fuel poverty group.

There is also the Christian charity act465 that you could look at.

If you give it to a registered charity make sure you gift aid it

Nobody knows who I am here so this isn't virtue signalling. We've paid the tax, we don't need these grants and we will be taking the same amount out of bank accounts to go to food banks and another charity.
You choose what you want to do Op, you know if you can afford to do this or not.

An alternative to the foodbank is the National Energy Action which Martin Lewis of MSE mentioned on the Radio the other day when interviewed about the Chancellor's announcement.

It could just be that they don't easily know who has two homes so it would cost two much to work it out so they could stop the second payment.

Plus not everyone with two homes will be well off, eg someone might be renting a small flat that they use while working away while their main home is occupied by their family elsewhere.

People just have to make their own decisions about donating if they can.