To rant about government financial help

[Alittlenonsensenowandthen]

Firstly, I'll say that I've previously been in receipt of financial help from govt and extremely grateful and also want those who need help to be helped, but...
I've now met two people (retired) who are telling me what they're spending their fuel allowance on (new flat screen TV, holidays, new sofas). This is not an agiest or benefit bashing thread but it just gets my goat that there are people happily spending money given for heating on luxuries. It's not actually their fault - they haven't asked for the money, it wasn't means tested so arguably why not spend it and see it as bonus money. If govt wants to help, it needs to pay for things directly surely?
Just really bugging me at the moment because we're fine financially but only just, and we earn too much for help.
Argh! Just needed a rant to the ether this eve!

Every generation thinks they have it worse than any other generation. I had 3 DC in the 1980s ; Mat Leave was 3 months . Interest rates double figures . Need I go on ? Yet I thought I was worse off than my mother because she only worked part time and I had to work full time .

There are many studies and reports out there that show millennials (and younger) are the first generation to have it worse than their parents did at the same age.

www.ft.com/content/81343d9e-187b-11e8-9e9c-25c814761640

And as for interest rates, as has been said time and time again on these threads, house prices were significantly cheaper in the 80s so the amount borrowed (and therefore interest paid) was much less. Paying 5% interest on £250k borrowed for example is £12500 a year. Paying 15% on £50k borrowed is £7500 a year.

But we don't want people spending money... interest rates have risen to make sure people (with mortgages) have less money to spend, and therefore to bring prices/ inflation down.

Yes, it will. I will probably use mine to send to the ACs and GCs towards their Xmas presents.

They will spend it - therefore giving various companies the money, and paying into the economy.

I worked for the DWP, years ago, and means testing costs a fortune - far more than it's worth for a once a year payment.

I think having less money to spend will also apply to renters. Especially those in private rentals.

I think having less money to spend will also apply to renters. Especially those in private rentals.

Yes exactly, landlords will also put their prices up to cover the mortgages, or maybe just to take advantage of the economic situation.

Yep, I was just pointing out that mortgage payers aren't the only people affected by the shit economy at the moment.

You will be old one day. I hope you're saving hard and not wasting your money on take aways, high fashion and any other things that you enjoy. Leave the old folk alone, if they need a new telly be happy they can get one, it's probably the only bit of spare money they get all year. Do you know how much state pension is ? So you know how low your income has to be to qualify for housing benefit? What an attitude . Remember, once these benefits disappear they will be gone for future generations too. Be careful what you wish for.

It is a bit shit when kids are stuck in mouldy freezing homes and they are spending it that way.

We have applied for DLA for my son. His disabilities cost us money we wouldn't normally have to spend on an NT child, but if it was means tested we may not get it, so we would be paying out lots of money for something that just happened to us randomly through no fault if our own. It would impact my other child negatively and affect his prospects compared to his peers, so I think this is right.

I suppose older people do need heat more but I think 600 quid is a bit extreme if the older people have wealth and good disposable income.

The way mortgage holders and landlords have gone on about it you'd think they were the only ones. Try renting in this market.

If you want to get worked up about government spending pay attention to the COVID inquiry. That's worth getting in a tizz about, not payments to pensioners .

There are plenty of pensioners that feel as you do and donate their winter fuel allowance to charities.

Yes. The economy affects everyone - including pensioners. It's not only mortgage payers and those paying nursery costs that are skint.

It's sad but from my experience it is just few bad apples who somehow influence general narrative about benefits. I work with people with chronic health conditions and often help them to apply for PIP. Only once have I been told that money was spent on car insurance and a new mobile phone. I did feel it was my duty to have a conversation along the lines of "It's no my place to tell you how to spend your money but PIP benefit is designed to help people manage costs associated with their disability. Such costs may include..."
I would say the vast majority are using the money appropriately.

I think it was depressing that some people thought it was right that a five year old should not have their mother with them on Christmas day, just because they wanted to stay in and fart in front of the TV to the Strictly Christmas special. There wasn't anything sensible about that thread, selfishness on both sides of the arguement.

I don't get why people chose to work in industries that could deny them leave at that time of year then bleat it was an issue though. That's why I moved away from shift work.

I think 600 is too much for all pensioners though. It could be shared better between people with kids under a certain age, people with disabilities and the elderly. If you are frail, then yes that level of benefit makes sense then.

If you have a large home with too many unused bedrooms you cant afford to heat surely the sensible thing to do is downsize, and that goes for someone who is 30 or 80. They both need to be responsible and consider if having a large home with rooms they don't need is sensible. If I was able to afford to buy a large home I would at least consider if I could heat it in the long term and if this was doable into retirement too.

I don't remember many people complaining when the Government gave £60 per month for electric / gas bills during the year of cost of living crisis increased bills

Some people have to choose between heat or heat

Some elderly people do not move around much & only heat one room

Shame on the people who do not wish elderly people to have the winter fuel allowance

It isn’t £600 for all pensioners. Read the rules. Others have laid them out clearly on this thread.

Yes very good point actually. I have said countless times on benefit threads that people should not be fighting over gruel when certain individuals are dining on lobster lunches at our expense and looking on at us laughing.

If that's the case and it is such a boost to the economy why doesn't everyone get it then?

I'm not doubting anyone who says they scraped the ice off their windows, just wondering why it's not something I've ever had to do (in my adult life anyway) when I have no heating in my place other than in the living room (which is off overnight) and have single glazing (thin glass too) and we have frequent frosts.

Do you live in a large city ? So the air temperature remains a bit warmer? Or maybe you manage to keep your home dry so there isn't the moisture?

I used to have to scrape the ice off the inside of windows of the first home I bought. I'm not that old! Just a gas fire in the lounge and an electric fan for a few minutes before bedtime.

We definitely had to scrape the ice off the single glazed bay windows during those full-on winters in 2010/11.

Talking of scraping ice off windows , I really hope that in this day and age people are not having to do that anymore . When I was child I thought all households were like that and didn't know that some people had a thing called central heating .

It wasn't even cold in the house, I'm a total cold weather wuss, it was just Baltic outside for weeks on end, on a north facing window that never saw the sun and really old windows.

I don’t understand this “It costs too much to means test it” argument at all.

Used to be, everyone got child benefit. Then I had a kid and the government announced people with my husband’s income can’t get it. So, we didn’t apply for it. No expensive means testing required, just announce who is eligible and hope most applicants aren’t liars…

Areallyboringperson

Your boss is lucky to have busses worth using his pass on. I've never applied for one (yes, you have to take a photo and complete then submit an application form, so obviously he thinks it's worth his while despite his income). I've never applied for one because there are no useful bus routes here, if I couldn't drive I'd be stuck in this town forever. People believe a lot of nonsense, no one goes to the bother if getting a bus pass unless it is worth their while. I doubt there is anyone in London over 60 who doesn't have one, in rural areas in most of Britain, they are useless.