Winter Fuel Allowance

[tonicha]

I know I said I would leave that subject...............

My daughter also went through university, worked hard, no debts once she left.

When she had Oliver and then had to return to work, the nursery fees for they paid over three years were almost - about a thousand difference - as their mortgage deposit.

They live in a converted 3 bed semi and have the top two floors (make that the bedrooms in a normal semi and the attic space) and although they both work - and she has a very very good job - they really cannot afford to move. And have another child? Not a hope.

Our neighbour here has one daughter who has been through university here, worked hard through it too, and is now going for a masters, (partially funded by the government)as there are virtually no jobs here. Many nurses are leaving, as the pay is so poor.

And we thought we had it tough?

[moondancer]

Your weather doesn't look too bad to me Ton; I just wish it was like that over here.


http://www.holiday-weather.com/algarve/

[Kaz]

Frank I feel the same about Becks - with the career she is pursuing it is pretty likely she will end up living abroad, and although I will be sad, and miss her terribly, I won't blame her one little bit!

I'd go myself if I were in her shoes

[Kaz]

And we thought we had it tough?

I don't think our generation did have it tough - we walked into jobs, bought property whilst young, had children young as we could (just about) manage on one income.................I think it is much harder for young people now

[tonicha]

Moonie, during the day, it really is glorious at the moment, we are having our best winter yet. But come 5.00pm and it gets really cold - add the chill/wind factor, as we're on the coast.

Four years ago, it rained every day from 22 December until 22 March. Every single blasted day. We had black mould growing in the house, all the bedrooms, the bathroom upstairs, the landing - it was really awful We went and bought some dehumidifiers and heaters and spent a heck of a lot of money on electric that year.

Hang on, I'm just gong to check outside....

[tonicha]

http://www.accuweather.com/en/pt/fuzeta ... ast/273238

And I've just been outside and it's 40F - and to me, that's cold.

I'm not haviug a go, but yes, it is lovely during the day, at the moment and yes, it is hot during the summer, but we do get some really bad cold weather.

And sorry Kaz, I was referring more to Grumpy's age, not ours - and yes, our children and grandchildren will find it very very tough.

[Workingman]

The worst place I ever lived for colds and flu was the ME. Outside temps were 45ºC or more, yet indoors, due to air-con it was 20ºC or less.

Everybody, but everybody, suffered colds and flu.

[debih]

Mick is self employed and really needs a private pension. He pays basic national insurance. I work part time and pay basic national insurance. We earn a reasonable amount but after paying the mortgage and all bills we have very little (if anything left) at the end of the month. We can't afford a private pension. I hate to think what we will live on at retirement - I doubt there will be a state pension left for us to claim, even though we both pay our taxes.

I have no issue with the winter fuel allowance, but it isn't just the elderly who struggle to pay. Mist of the winter we use our log burner so our lounge is nice and cosy but the rest of the house has no heat on - it costs a fortune to heat the whole house. The girls don't have double glazing and at this time of year regularly have ice on the inside of their windows.

Whilst I agree with free bus travel for pensioners it infuriates me that under 16s don't get it. I pay out £20 a week just to get my kids to school and back. We live 0.2 of a mile too close to school for them to get free transport!

Off topic I know!

[Kaz]

Whilst I agree with free bus travel for pensioners it infuriates me that under 16s don't get it. I pay out £20 a week just to get my kids to school and back. We live 0.2 of a mile too close to school for them to get free transport!!

That annoys me too Debih! It was costing us a fortune until B got her NUS card which entitled her to any journey here for £1.10 School kids should get it either free of very heavily subsidised I think.

[Suff]

Perhaps Kaz, (re: Neither do I think the old age pension should be means tested! I do think the fuel payment could be though........ ), but if you look at the HM Gov page on it.

You could get between £100 and £300 tax-free to help pay your heating bills if you were born on or before 5 July 1952. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.

If they want to restrict this, then they just don't ever lift the barrier. I, then, certainly wouldn't get it.

However if you want to make comparisons, I checked up the figures. If everyone over 62 (based on the over 65 figures for 2012), say 12million, received the £300 "one time" payment, it would cost the government £3.6bn. Currently the UK foreign aid budget it £11bn.

Now I don't know about you, but I'd rather keep British Pensioners, who have paid for their benefits all their lives, warm, wherever they are in the world; than pay £11bn to some other country where they are probably skimming off more than the winter fuel allowance. Which I have no doubt is well less than the £3.6bn max figure I've stated.

It is simple for me. People pay their taxes and their NI. Therefore there is a commitment incumbent upon the government to server and protect those who paid all that tax and NI. The commitment to foreign aid is both self induced and non binding.

Want to start cutting back on expenditure? There's £11bn right there.

Talking about foreign aid, Mrs S and I always supported Water Aid. Especially because they send water engineers to the countries, build the water infrastructure for them and teach them now to build their own, maintain what they have and to expand the facilities.

That is, until this year, when we find that they are doing this in India. Now I'm NOT sorry to say that a country which can send a probe to Mars does not need the UK to sort their water infrastructure. They can do it themselves. The fact that they "choose" not to is _NOT_ our problem. Sorry as I am for the African countries which lose out on this, we believe there is only one way to stop this kind of nonsense and that begins at the donation level. They're never going to ask unless they suddenly get a huge drop in donations.

Back to the government. If I were voting they would need gonad protectors. Best way, in my opinion, to get their attention...