SIC fuel subsidy

[Styles]

http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/2009/September/news/SIC%20saves%20bonus%20for%20the%20better%20off.htm

and

http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2009/09/16/surprise-council-scheme-to-pay-300-winter-heating-grant-to-over-65s-wins-approval

 

I think its crazy the council have now in their wisdom approved to pay a £300 winter heating grant to people who are losing the old Christmas bonus paid by Shetland Charitable Trust.

 

They should be trying to save money, plus why allways the pensioners and never other groups. Plus are not a lot of the councillers 65 or over so they are infact voteing to give themselves money!

[swc123]

I would agree that there are certainly other groups out there that are as equally in need of support. I would draw people's attention to the new Energy Assistance Package which has wider eligibility criteria and offers support for insulation measures.

 

Personally I think that measures to improve insulation is much more appropriate long terms sustainable option than a simple grant to cover costs year on year.

 

A call to the local Energy advice centre on 0800 512 012 would be beneficial for anybody who is looking for support with their energy costs

[Keedle]

Its actually discrimination against pensioners who are eligible to retire at sixty and are getting a Government pension . Which means those on credits etc get Xmas bonus those sixty five and over get fuel subsidy . How unfair is that ?

[Para Handy]

Why not a subsidy for all drug users? that will please a good few in Shetland

[paulb]

so whats wrong with the older people getting a bit extra. Lets relise that the heating up here is more expensive over winter than down south. so its more defensable than just giving a christmas gift.

[oddtablet]

I disagree totally with this random decision. The SIC are totally losing the plot.

 

There are various other people who deserve a hand out more then the ones losing out on the Christmas Grant.

 

The reason there are people NOT getting the Christmas Grant from SCT is because they have savings. For the SIC to turn round and hand them 'fuel subsidy' is a nonsense. Most do not need it.

 

Bah humbug

[Ghostrider]

The real problem is not the council giving the handout, its the CT being forced to use the Government Benefits cut off level as their cut off level as well, so as to avoid paying tax.

 

The Government's limit does not represent a well off/poor cut off point, its the point at which those immediately above it are just about getting by, and those below it are going without to make ends meet.

 

Certainly there are some pensioners who are well off, and have no need of it, which should be excluded. But how do you achieve that without the Government taxing the grants of those in the above benefit cut off but below well off portion, And how do you identify the people in that portion either, unless by means testing, which for some reason I fail to understand, there is a great deal of opposition towards.

 

There are numerous inalienable facts which support giving a grant. Our winters are longer than anywhere else in the UK, they are darker than anywhere else in the UK. Fuel is more expensive here. While insulating and draught proofing can help, keeping a house warm here is more difficult that anywhere else in the UK because of the wind. If wind chill was taken in to consideration Cold Weather payments would be made to Shetland for the majority of the winter, but as the criteria stands they rarely ever are. Yet they are regularly made on the mainland where it actually feels warmer, and it is far easier to keep a house warm, even though its several degrees below zero, than it is to keep one warm here when it as many degrees above. They freeze down to a calm 2-5 below, we hover 2-5 above with a Force 6-8 northerly and the chill factor that follows it.

 

Elderly folk are less active/mobile and are less able to move around and keep warm, many feel the cold worse. Many are susceptible to getting chills, bronchitis etc when its damp and cold. Given the cost of medical services, its money well spent if a grant prevents a few of those cases. I could go on, but you get the idea.

[Styles]

Suprise suprise the shetland times says "None of the councillors aged 65 or over declared an iterest before backing the scheme".

 

No way you should be able to vote for somthing you will benfit directly financelly!

[Caeser]

I think it is disgusting.

 

There are many low income families who are far more needy than some of the old folk who have had very comfortable lives in the oil or fishing industries, or even worked for da coonty with their fancy pensions.

 

I really think there is a discrimination issue here.

 

Why not me?

 

Wonder if we could get Jonathon Wills to take up the issue?

 

The really sad thing is that da coonty does not have the money to spend. What they are doing is that instead of spending the interest from their investments they are spending the capital, which should be kept for future generations.

 

The 'plug hole' disaster scenario is quickly developing.

 

This is where even if they stop spending, the current infrastructure and staffing will pull so much funds from the capital pot our reserves will all be gone. What then........................

[TeeAyBee]

This is where even if they stop spending, the current infrastructure and staffing will pull so much funds from the capital pot our reserves will all be gone. What then........................

 

Then perhaps they'll be in the same boat as the rest of the Councils in the UK. I think it is often forgotten that Shetland is in a very good fiscal position compared to elsewhere in the country.

[swc123]

I am all for supporting those unable to heat their homes adequately especially those at risk categories - the elderly, the young, and those who have mobility issues. But in my view it is discrimination to exclude those latter two groups in this scheme.

 

The fact that this decision was made on the day without any idea of the potential impact and implications also staggers me.

 

Going slightly off topic, is it recorded anywhere which way councillors voted on these, and other issues?

[Ghostrider]

^^ Those with mobility issues are covered under the CT grant. The very young, it could be said are already subsidised nationally, regardless of the means of their parent(s) through Family Allowance payments.

[paulb]

maybe they could do something in excess of the scottish heating grants. alternative heat sources or better heating. I found it odd that Scotland has less generous heat-wise grants than England. these grants would help reduce the heating costs and would help Shetland meet it target of co2 reduction.

 

only if they get the higher care componet of dla. you have to be quite badly disabled to get that.

[shetlandpeat]

Why not a subsidy for all drug users? that will please a good few in Shetland

 

Should I keep my anadin receipts?

 

Or just NHS issued?

 

You may need to descriminate a bit more.

 

Tis good that the old folk are looked efter, but those in care, are they eligable, or does the cash go into the cost of their care, ie does the private care home make a profit from this cash??? If it were council would the grant not be paid directly to them..or is that bit open to a little abuse??

[swc123]

^^ Those with mobility issues are covered under the CT grant. The very young, it could be said are already subsidised nationally, regardless of the means of their parent(s) through Family Allowance payments.

 

Ghostrider, thanks for that. I was under assumption that you needed to be in receipt of either pension credit, housing benefit or council benefit to get the CT grant, I did not realise disability allowance was also included.

 

As for households with under 5s, the Family Allowance does not take into account the extra fuel costs in Shetland which this grant is aimed at.