I yet have still to get mine although it was put through there system on 7th nov i have telephoned about 12 times since then hope i get my QB52 form in 05 fill it in then wait for another 3 weeks. so much for this government systems.
by the way you must be over 6o years old

can you add 'doesn't affect me' to your poll, please. If we don't vote we can't see the results (since the rules got tinkered with). You'll get loads of bogus posts without a 'N/A' clause.

Originally posted by Strix
can you add 'doesn't affect me' to your poll, please. If we don't vote we can't see the results (since the rules got tinkered with). You'll get loads of bogus posts without a 'N/A' clause.

I think that option should be added by default to all polls.

If you pressed it, you'd be registered as having voted and could see the vote distribution, but your vote would be discarded (i.e. not going towards 'total voted' for calculation of percentages etc).

Originally posted by Jamie
I think that option should be added by default to all polls.

If you pressed it, you'd be registered as having voted and could see the vote distribution, but your vote would be discarded (i.e. not going towards 'total voted' for calculation of percentages etc). Good idea :thumbsup: . I wonder if Geoff's about?

In this particular poll, you can vote both yes and no together.

This poll is showing 3 - yes, 3- no, total 5 ?

Originally posted by matsalleh
This poll is showing 3 - yes, 3- no, total 5 ?

As I said ^ you can vote Yes and No together.

Originally posted by Strix
Good idea :thumbsup: . I wonder if Geoff's about?

We cant edit that option, we'd have to remove and renew :(

how do you qualify for winter fuel payments?

Originally posted by depoix
how do you qualify for winter fuel payments?
You must be over 60, it is £200/house.

Originally posted by depoix
how do you qualify for winter fuel payments?

I think you just have to be 60 years old or more.

Perhaps you could 'adopt a granny' Depoix? :D

For anyone who is of the age for Winter Fuel payments, dont forget that you can claim (means tested) home improvements from British Gas!

This ranges from Loft Insulation, to Energy Saving Bulbs!

Winter fuel payment can be as much as 300 quid if you are over 80. Don't forget there is also a One-off 70+ Payment of £100 - so total could be £400 !

Full details are on the pension service website here :


http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/winterfuel/home.asp

There is even a claim form for those that didnt claim for years :

1997/98
1998/99
1999/00


:thumbsup:

I don't mean to sound like a misery here (as I freeze to death!!) but why do only older people quaslify for a winter fuel payment?

Now please don't think I am playing poor and hard done by as we do manage, but there are families out there with young children who also need to heat their homes during the winter months. Surely a family home takes more to heat than a small property, say a bunglaow or flat?

I have two kids, work part time and go to college as I am trying to better myself and get a better job. I get my wages, a very small amount of Income support and child tax credits. I don't work enough hours to get working tax credit. In real terms, I am only £20 a week better off than being soley on benefits, but I have the pride of having a job.

We can't afford to have the heating on during the day if we are in as it costs too much. We put on jumpers and if it's really cold, we snuggle under our quilts!! I know as a young family, we are at less risk of getting hypothermia or other cold related problems, but we still need to keep warm too.

I know you probably all think I sound like a miserable so 'n' so, but I do wonder why families don't get anything extra towards their heating bills during the winter.

What sort of house do you live in FF? If it's a victorian one made from two skins of bricks it's probably cheaper to heat it constantly at a lower temperature than to have the heating struggling all night to fight off the cold. I tried it out in our last house.

Although we had the thermostat set lower, it felt warmer because the inside skin of bricks acts like a storage heater. If you only heat for part of the day, the walls suck all of the heat when you do have the heating on.

We stopped having damp/condensation problems on the walls too, with this method of heating.

I've been tempted to try this Strix - although mine's a 1930s house not a victorian one - what sort of temp do you recommend ?

I used to leave it on about ten if out all day and just nudge it up when we got home.

Our 'stat was old and jiggered so the settings were a bit inaccurate. The next door neighbour's coal fire was behind it and would switch our heating off as her fire warmed our stat too!

In a '30's house you may find you have the 2 brick skin arrangement, but I wouldn't know without drilling your wall, Siân :D

Thanks I may give that a go. Spose I should dig out the surveyor's report thingy from when I bought the house - unless you're offering to put up shelves whilst you're drilling holes in my walls Strix :P

For the record you don't sound a misery FF. I try to keep my fuel bills right down but being an adult on my own it's relatively easy for me to do the extra jumper / hop under the duvet thing. I should imagine it's a nightmare when you've got children.

Originally posted by Siân
Thanks I may give that a go. Spose I should dig out the surveyor's report thingy from when I bought the house - unless you're offering to put up shelves whilst you're drilling holes in my walls Strix :P

For the record you don't sound a misery FF. I try to keep my fuel bills right down but being an adult on my own it's relatively easy for me to do the extra jumper / hop under the duvet thing. I should imagine it's a nightmare when you've got children.
Have you heard about my escapades with my drill? :hihi:
It's easier to keep fuel bills down if you have a 'family' sort of arrangement at home. Just background heat most of the house and properly heat the livingroom, where you're all watching TV (or whatever). Kids won't freeze to death on the way to bed that way! (Childhood memories of melting the condensation frost from the bedroom window :( ) It's best if their room is directly above the livingroom to catch the rising heat.