This £150 fuel payment if you receive child benefit?

Question

Correct me if I am misunderstanding things here but I am apoplectic over this:-

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4493655.ece

The idea in principle of paying the money to families is laudable..as long as they need it. To pay this money to middle class parents as a 'vote catcher' is abhorrent. What about the single people or couples who are struggling to keep warm?

If you are one of them how do you feel about my mates who earn so much they were able to buy the house next door to 'control' the neighbours? They spend £800 per month on food and throw the majority away.

I'm no political animal but if I were going to vote Labour as a lesser of three evils this would lose my vote.

Un-bloody-believable I can barely type because my hands are shaking that much.

To top it all my husband and I worked out our strategy for keeping warm this winter by buying blankets for the back of the sofa and buying a load of logs from a farmer so we can reduce the central heating. We were going through £80 pm last winter as we have original windows can't afford new.

So while I'm cleaning the fire out every morning like my Nan would have done and 'closing' unoccupied rooms off at least I can keep warm knowing the most financially advantaged will be lovely and cosy.

Do you agree with this?

Answer 1

Nothing changes, no matter what government is in power.  Give away universal benefits to everyone regardless of need to buy favour but make it as hard as possible for  those less fortunate, who really need help, by making them jump through as many hoops and over as many hurdles as you can.  Then, of course, if they do manage to meet the

exacting criteria, brand them as scroungers.

But don't be fooled, those who receive this new (Universal) handout, are going to have to pay it back at some time in the future in the form of tax.

Answer 2

I'd missed this - thanks to you I've now read it!! WTF aren't these things meams tested??? Like you, I shall struggle with gas bills this winter - but I no longer get child benefit so I don't stand a chance of getting any help.  Isn't this country wonderful (sticks tongue firmly in cheek)  Good luck hun - I'm going to be under fleeces and blankets too!

Answer 3

In Guatemala, a whole family lives on less than £200 a year.

Answer 4

I just heard about this on the radio and it sounds like it will be introduced in September when the MPs are back for their 'holidays.'

Yet another poorly thought out scheme by the great clueless.

I abhor means testing, but until another method of finding out who is really needy, then it is the only way.  No one wants to see children suffer cold in the winter months but there is no need for financial help in the majority of homes.

I never lived in centrally heated home until I was 30 + I and my children didn't either when they were very young.  We all lived to tell the tale though!!!

When they were small we had an immersion heater for the hot water, a gas fire in the living room, cooker in the kitchen, a small electric heater in the kids bedroom for when the windows were frozen on the INSIDE.  We also used blankets, hot water bottles and plenty of woolies, jumpers, tights etc. and we were comfortable!!  No one cried because they were cold.  Kids getting dressed and eating breakfast before the fire.  Nice hot meals on the table ,and we did not have the huge utility bills we see today.

I'm not saying families should be living a frugal and cold existence, just use a bit of common sense and the government should be putting that extra money where it is really needed and not just handing it out carte blanche.

Good question Haz, have a star.      ÃƒÂ¢Ã‚˜Â†

Answer 5

It does sound speculative, over-heard from a civil servant on a train.

aren't these the same civil servants who've lost laptops, memory-sticks & hundreds of individuals private details.....

mislaid on trains, taxis &  even found in the street?

Perhaps it's their way of embarrassing the government!

BUT it won't surprise me when it becomes a reality.

as this government has broken it's own guide-lines on child poverty, pockets of which, still remain in the UK.

they intend to throw money at those in receipt of child benefit IN THE VAIN HOPE it may filter past the baby-breeding chav-parents ( I know not all are chavs, it's merely a label to prove a point) & on TO THE CHILD.

Social Workers have been trying to warn the Government,

( since Nu-Labour came to power ) increasing child benefit year on year has helped most children but as it the way of of broken-britain some parents ONLY HAVE CHILDREN TO BOLSTER THEIR BENEFITS!

( Victoria Climbes' sadly, amongst others were used to rip off the

state ).

throwing more money at duff parents won't change their priorities.

I know of middle-aged couples, having worked all their lives

WHO will be struggling to cover these fuel hikes, with not a child in sight, no-one wants to help them!

yes, guess it makes me bit angry, too!

Answer 6

The story you provided a link to is just speculation based on a conversation someone overheard on a train, there is no point getting worked up about it.

Answer 7

If true - as reported here - it would be idiocy even by the standards of this Monty Python government. All those receiving child benefit - including higher rate taxpayers?

It might make more sense to make winter fuel payments - clawed back from the thieving suppliers by way of a windfall tax - to all those below the higher tax rate.

What they won't do, however, is what needs to be done - take command of the situation, take over the energy companies (and no compensation for these fat cats), use the buying muscle of the state and regulate prices as far as possible.

That, and reopening as many as possible of the pits closed by Thatcher, is what a real Labour government would do. Pity we don't have one.

Answer 8

I am sick to death of hearing stories like this - each time it makes my blood boil.  I am what is known as "middle Britain".  Hard working, never claimed a single penny from the State - in the past to keep a roof over my head I have worked 7 days a week for years on end, gone without a car, a telephone, heating and healthy food, clothes, nights out etc etc just to survive.  Why did I bother - surely it would have been better for me to have a couple of kids and just live off the State and let the rest of the mugs in Britain pay for me!  State Benefit was originally bought in to help destitute families but now, it is offering them a good standard of living, bringing generations of apathetic people who literally can't be bothered to work - I mean why bother when the State will pay?  Just to think that I am paying for these lazy idiots.   I have a friends who is a single mother - she told me the other day that she gets £1,250 in state benefit each month - that is a salary of around £21,000!  She is perfectly capable of working but doesn't need to now - yet another statistic of Gordon Brown's benefit system. Well, one thing we have in common dear that they don't is self respect. Have a warm winter!.x