To think some might spend £650 energy payment on other things?

[Hemklop]

I'm prepared to get flamed here, as I know the benefits system is a touchy subject.

However, I was just wondering whether many people will not use the £650 lump sum payment for it's true purpose, given that it's the summer holidays and there are lots of temptations to spend on other things.

These people then won't be any better off when it comes to the winter?

You won't be getting the £400. It'll be paid directly to your energy Company who will knock £66 a month off your direct debit for six months.

Or perhaps your comment was tongue in cheek ........ 🤔

Just want to blow some tiny minds even MORE! 😁

not only am I getting the full array of grants - but the government GIVE me a house (council) AND a FT job working for the council!

im fucking rolling in it mate!

Instead of saying ‘prepared to be flamed’ OPs should say ‘about to be a twat’.

@itwasntmetho I believe it will be September although no actual date in September has been given yet.

We don’t get our payment until the Autumn. I would have liked it in July but recognise that it would have been spent by now with the summer holidays, ds3’s birthday, the spell of hot weather and lack of living room curtains to keep it out. We saved some money by having Covid for the first 4 weeks of the holidays (by the time it went round the five of us). I couldn’t eat for days but, generally, I’m having to top up at least once if not twice on top of my weekly shop with everyone at home. My mum was brought up during WW2 and my gran lived with us when I was growing up so I’m fortunate to have shit hot budgeting skills and I’m great with the Mumsnet chicken.

The simple truth is some people do just spend it on random stuff they wouldn’t otherwise have the cash to do.
I know 2 who are having a great time at pride this weekend necking £10 cocktails all paid for from their first cost of living payment. Don’t really care as it will be them who are going to be the ones who will suffer the consequences of their choices and on the plus side they have put up some great pictures on Facebook.

Don’t forget to up your pension contributions - that just means you’ll get more universal credit 😁

and use cycle to work for the same effect!

Milk it 👍👍👍

Oh and if you’ve got access to an EV salary sacrifice scheme - you might as well treat yourself to a model 3 or Y cos that’ll reduce your taxable income too for benefits purposes, at least if you’re on tax credits 👍

A Tesla taxed, insured and maintained for a 75% discount - lovely jubbly!

Most people will- yes but it's not a fuel payment. People will spend the cost of living payment on the costs of living- food, much needed new shoes, petrol, essentials (loo roll, soap). Why does it matter?

Alas I’m 50 miles from the office so not entitled to a FREE BIKE.

im gonna let the side down now and say I’m happy enough with my petrol fiesta…

If those choosing not to use this money towards fuel or whatever will probably moan when the bigger bills do come in. It'll be these people which will spoil it for those who budget carefully and can put it towards the essentials they need and try to make it stretch.
It's always the minority who fail the majority and those who don't receive any extra help at all who are left to fend for themselves.
I'm grateful for the 400 towards our energy bills , although I'm aware it might not touch the sides in the winter time. Making that a universal payment won't make everyone happy , but at least that's a level playing field for every household. Better than nothing

Or it helps families get through the summer holidays and start the winter off on an even keel rather than playing catch up from summer.

I agree OP.

You only have to do the journey once, and then keep it in the shed until it’s paid off.

“There is a rule of thumb that the Department for Transport asks you to adhere to, this is that 50% of the bike's use is for a work-related journey.”

in fact, there’s nothing in the rules that says a work related journey isn’t riding to a train station once, and completing the journey that way and not using it for the rest of the year.

And it’s not quite free, but after tax/Ni savings and lowering the amount that is tapered away for Tax credits or universal credit, the discount is magnificently large - usually at least 75%.

It's a Cost of living payment to spend on anything at all and is paid in two instalments of £325
In addition many families will qualify for the warm home discount scheme which is £150 this year
In addition to the cost of living payment, if anyone receive PIP there is an extra £150
This year PIP doesn't qualify for the warm home discount
Here is a bought from my PIP( can't afford cake nowadays)

The energy bills will have to be paid regardless, so essentially that money will always go towards them. If that then means people have unexpected money they can spend on other things they need, so be it. As it's a cost of living payment, everything you buy from food to clothes to mortgage payments will be going up.

😂I tried to put my CoL payment on my energy bills. It got refunded straight back. So yes, it's now going on other things because I have a home that needs furnishing (which will in turn reduce my bills as it will add more insulation!)

Sometimes I spend my child benefit on wine and not on the children.

I agree. That was just for her blazer, tie, 2 x jumper and pe kit the £140. They also insist on black/blue coat and bag. So they need to be replaced, even though her current ones are in good condition they are not the right colours for the uniform policy!

I can't believe some schools are still insisting on dark coloured coats, not at all safe in winter!

I hope you get eaten alive for this OP

@VandyCan It might surprise you but toys for children to play with are actually considered an essential in terms of their development.

It's bad when I'm saying that Sunak is the lesser of two evils. I'm a good judge of character (I tend to read body language more than anything) and I have rarely come across a more openly cruel and unfeeling person than Truss. How the actual FUCK she is in parliament is baffling to start with but I'm pretty sure someone knows and Sunak is chomping at the bit to tell everyone (my reading of it). There's something not right about her. She's cruel, she's cold, she's calculating. She appears to have a God complex too, not unlike Sunak, but I don't know much about her. I should google her I suppose.

She went to Oxford. That's about all you need to know.