Brrr! my boiler is dying, are there any low cost loans for repairs for people in Income Support?

[Biobytes]

Yes, that is the question, the thing is buggering up for the second time in this month, and has gone through extensive repairs over the last couple of years.

I'm in IS and definitively can't pay for it to be serviced (nobody wanted to insure it after the last policy run out last year), can I get a low cost/interest? if so, does anybody now who to contact?

I have no hot water or central heating at the moment.

that should have said, low cost interest loan

I think the Governments Warm Front scheme is aimed at children with benefits.Will try to Google and link

Children????Sorry,PEOPLE ON BENEFITS.aM V TIRED TONIGHT!

you can get a budgeting loan from dss
here
i think you can apply for up to £800, it is interest free and they take the repayments weekly out of your income support money. it takes a couple of weeks to go through and they can say no (but i dont think they do if you dont have other debts with them already)

if you cant download it you can get the form from your local jobcentre

www.warmfront.co.uk

I work for a central heating company and you can get a Warm Front Grant for up to £3,500 if you have a child under 16 or are pregnant and receive one of the following benefits.

?Income Support
?Council Tax Benefit
?Housing Benefit
?Job Seekers Allowance (income-based)
?Pension Credit
?Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

If you don't have children or are not pregnant you can still get it if you recieve

?Working Tax Credit (with an income of less than £16,040, which must include a disability element)
?Disability Living Allowance
?Child Tax Credit (with an income of less than £16,040)
?Housing Benefit (which must include a disability premium)
?Income Support (which must include a disability premium)
?Council Tax Benefit (which must include a disability premium)
?War Disablement Pension (which must include a mobility supplement or Constant Attendance Allowance)
?Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (which must include Constant Attendance Allowance)
?Attendance Allowance

Thank you for your post, and more so considering how tired you are

I have had a look, I'm afraid that the £800 may not sort the problem, as engineers are finding it difficult even to source parts for it (last year I was without boiler for 6 weeks because none of the 4 companies contacted could repair it, at the time, the insurance paid for it, but I'm sure that so many different people coming to sort it out would have costed way over that

However, the link is a good place to start.

Thank you

Thank you for that! will have a look ((thank you)) ((thank you))) ((thank you))

Biobytes if you are on benefits the 3500 should totally cover the cost of a new boiler and you wouldn't have to pay it is a Gov funded grant.Only downside is i dunno how long u would have to wait for it to be done.HTH.

though re reading it it says up to 3500 so dunno how they calculate.Having said that our central heating boiler and full change of downstairs rads cost 1.5 grand 5 years ago so hopefully evcen if u didnt get full amount you could still get a new boiler covered even if not all rads.

Friend of mine locally has been told it's up to 6 months in this area. She hasn't had hot water or heating since the summer......she has invested in electric radiators to keep them going in the meantime and is planning to all share one bedroom if it gets really bad.

OK, I have applied! and that's great! the problem now is that the website says that this kind of works may take up to six months to be done

What can I do in the mean time?

I'm afraid we are already in the sharing a bedroom part of the process.

Any suggestions on electric radiators that do not cost an absolute fortune to run?

Thank you very much for your help, it is much appreciated.

the only thing i can think of is lots of blankets and plug in radiators - they are expensive to run, but with no boiler at least you wont be getting a gas bill. dont know what you can do about hot water

sorry x post there about rads! i think you can get oil fill ones but they are probably £££ to buy.

I think an electric blanket may be cheaper to run than a heater for the bedroom.

Have you got lots of thick lined curtains up everywhere - they really do make a difference?

places like ikea and primark do cheap fleecy blankets, i think primark have thermals at the moment too - not the sexiest of looks but they do keep you warm. also little things, like when you finish cooking leave the oven door open to let the heat in to the room, draft excluders (rolled up towel or blanket) everywhere

we have had a new boiler and 2 new radiators through the warmfront grant all free and it was done within 2 months of applying as we have a 2 yr old. they boxed in the pipes and were brilliant!

def look inot warm front, we got new central heating, insolation, and boiler with ours, think we only had to pay £150 towards it.

I came back to say thermal vests, if you can get silk mix ones they are truly warm to wear as are cashere mix jumpers as they are both thin layers but warm. Layers is the key though.

The length of time depends on how many companies are doing it in your area. Previously in our area I think there were only 1 or two. We registered because a regular customer found he was entitled.

It is coming up to busiest time of year but hopefully you won't have to wait that long.

Thank you all, was in the phone trying to sum on help from friends in the form of electrical heaters and access to their showers (and also having a good blurb as just when I believed things can not get better it has happened again I don't believe in karma anymore...)

I have, fortunately enough blankets and duvets. DS can sleep in my room and the dogs can go to the bathroom tonight where I'm sure they will be able to keep warmer.

Someone is lending me an oil radiator and providing access to her shower.

Now... if I didn't have, on top of that, to deal with a nasty divorce, I wouldn't be feeling that down.

Oh well, hope that I wake up in a better mood tomorrow...

Thank you again, will look into the silk thermals too, where do you get them from (please say M&S as I still have a gift certificate for it since my birthday)

I got mine from M&S last year but they don't do the exact same one but def something with silk still so that is good!