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Savings Threshold and Christmas bonus

Stickman

With the cost of living crisis and bills going through the roof - forgive me for sounding like a stuck record, but now that we have a new Government, surely it must be time to raise the earnings threshold from £6000 - even if it's only a little bit.

I also would like to see the generous bonus of £10 put up or even scrapped? as it has been £10 since the 1970's. £10 was a lot in the 1970's but it isn't now. And do the same with the Cold Weather Payment of £25, either increase it or scrap it.

Am I asking too much?

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Comments

66Mustang

I've mentioned these 2 things before and been shouted down but I'm glad someone else is on the same wavelength

The Christmas bonus would be around £150 today if inflation was taken into account, and I think the savings limits would be about double

Stickman

I don't want to cause any upset here but I think these figures should be reviewed. A bonus of £10? It's not our fault that we are disabled.

Jimm_Alumni

I do think it's silly that it's still called a "Bonus" when it's just £10. It should be actually meaningful, enough to pay for a small christmas meal at least.

I would highly recommend writing to your new MP about this, Parliament hasn't fully started up yet but better to get those thoughts and ideas in early I imagine!

66Mustang

I agree @Stickman

I can understand why people here support the £6,000 cap because £6,000 is a pipe dream for a lot of people who claim benefits

However for those of us who do want to do the right thing and put some money away, it's unfair that the limit has been reduced in real terms (i.e. accounting for inflation) every year for about 20 years

michael57

i would of thought a married or living together couple on uc would be double the 6000 or a single person should be on 3000 seems a bit silly for it to be a 6000 limit for single and couples

Stickman

But after savings of £6000, benefits are reduced, which, I think is a really unfair. I'll say again, it's not our fault we're disabled.

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/886960#Comment_886960

Have they? The last time the limits increased was in 2006 😂

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmworpen/463/46308.htm

Jimm_Alumni

I will say that £6000 in 2006 would be around £10,000 now. £16,000 in 2006 would now be worth £26,800.

Also, there are people who were born in 2006 who voted this year! It's quite a long time to not have something kept up with inflation.

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/887055#Comment_887055

I wouldn't call 18 years not long ago!

michael57

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/887119#Comment_887119

my first grand daughter was born 18 years ago seems like yesterday to me

OverlyAnxious

I don't think the cold weather payment is too low. That's £25 for each week of very cold weather. I have a very inefficient electric heating system and would still struggle to use £25 a week on it!

I do agree the Christmas bonus should be scrapped though. Must cost DWP thousands to send out all the letters for it. And even if it's automated and doesn't use any people power, it still uses a lot of server time and electric to process all of those payments. Not worth it for just £10 each imo.

I am also for increasing the savings threshold. Should be £10k minimum now. Not just for inflation but it should also take into account how much the things cost that disabled people are likely to be saving up for. Such as high AP's on Motability, accessible holidays and private healthcare/operations.

OverlyAnxious

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/887343#Comment_887343

The cold weather payment is issued automatically to those who qualify. You do not need to do anything to claim it. The temperature must be below zero degrees Celsius for 7 consecutive days in your postcode to receive a payment. There can be more than one payment each winter if there is more than one cold wave.

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/887343#Comment_887343

You need to be claiming certain means tested benefits to qualify for this, it's not just paid to disabled people. https://www.gov.uk/cold-weather-payment/eligibility

For the avoidance of doubt the CWP is not payable for those living in Scotland.

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/887914#Comment_887914

You're welcome. Yes, silly computer saying NO. As for the heating, I actually turned mine on one evening last week and can't ever remember doing that this time of year. I really didn't want to but I was freezing.

One other thing I forgot to mention with the CWP. It's not paid per household either. If there's more than 1 adult in your household and they all qualify, each person will receive it.. with the exception of a couples benefit claimants. I live with my adult daughter and we both receive £25 each if the temperatures trigger a payment.

Jimm_Alumni

That feels like something that could be reworked surely? I don't want people to lose out, but it feels a bit silly that a couple in a house get just £25, but 2 non-coupled adults get £50!

OverlyAnxious

The couple can share body warmth! Not an option for us single people. 😄

Wibbles

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/887209#Comment_887209

I last went on holiday 21 years ago

18 years seems like yesterday

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/888183#Comment_888183

It was the same as the cost of living payments, a couple would receive just one payment but other members of the family would receive a payment each, if they were entitled.

WhatThe

do the right thing and put some money away?

If you have spare money to put away you can! Not an option for those of us running a home on poverty benefits (UC personal allowance minus a bedroom tax)

Stickman

Stupid and humiliating are definitely correct, egister. £6000 savings doesn't go very far plus I've had to dig into my savings to pay some insanely high bills - energy, water, food and rent. I've written to my MP.