Winter Fuel Allowance

[Michael Rolls]

just so long as it comes!

[Raven]

Yes, just so long as it comes. Was very late with the letter, so I expect it will be the same with the money.

[Diasi]

Nothing here yet.

[klondike]

There is another con here. Most got £300 cost of living payment as we did last year.  I expect as inflation has fallen back a bit we won't get that next year. The thing is the inflation figure is a percentage increase over last year. Even if it were 0% that doesn't mean that prices have fallen just that they didn't increase. We won't be paying £300 less so if we needed £300 to compensate this year we will still need it to pay for that cost increase again next year. It should have been given as an increase in the base pension.

[Diasi]

There is another con here. Most got £300 cost of living payment as we did last year.  I expect as inflation has fallen back a bit we won't get that next year. The thing is the inflation figure is a percentage increase over last year. Even if it were 0% that doesn't mean that prices have fallen just that they didn't increase. We won't be paying £300 less so if we needed £300 to compensate this year we will still need it to pay for that cost increase again next year. It should have been given as an increase in the base pension.

Exactly right, most economics is a smoke & mirrors con.

Which is why I jacked the subject in without bothering with the final exams.

[klondike]

If you think economics is voodoo check out statistics.

One of my granddaughters was doing a degree based in Northampton and had an early start one day a week so stayed with us the previous evening each week. When it came to her dissertation I helped out mostly with proof reading but the results from her experiment looked all over the place and proved sod all.

Neither she nor me could come up with any formula that could be applied to get to the known correct result from the experimental result. She got the statistics bloke at uni to wave a magic wand and suddenly there was a 5 Sigma result from what was obviously, at least on the face of it, a load of old cobblers. She got her first with honours.

[ansu]

Lucky you - no winter fuel allowance here in Germany. On the contrary, there's a hard discussion about this winter's energy prices. My central heating system is a bit old and I hope it won't break down. 

[JBR]

Lucky you - no winter fuel allowance here in Germany. On the contrary, there's a hard discussion about this winter's energy prices. My central heating system is a bit old and I hope it won't break down.

Ah, but you don't need a winter fuel allowance.  You live in a warmer country!  😉

[Alex]

Ah, but you don't need a winter fuel allowance.  You live in a warmer country!  😉

It's no warmer than here JB, but they do get better pensions than we do !

[JBR]

It's no warmer than here JB, but they do get better pensions than we do !

Not only Germany.  Just about everyone else does, Alex!

[klondike]

I worked in IT for Ford Parts 1971 to 1984. Ford of Europe based in Germany were our colleages but the senior bosses were there. My direct manager was German and I had quite a few trips out there. The German salaries were considerably higher than the same grades back it the UK and you could see that in their disposable income and homes. I doubt that differential has been made up. They had better industrial relations plus most of the crappy jobs in the factories and parts depot went to Turks. We had a bunch of bolshy unions making everybody poorer.

[Diasi]

If you think economics is voodoo check out statistics.

Statistics & economics are bedfellows.

[klondike]

I think you must have autocorrect turned on Phil... 

[Diasi]

I think you must have autocorrect turned on Phil... 

I rely on it. 

[ansu]

As to the wages - I am not sure whether you are right. As far as I know the so-called minimum wage is lower in Germany than in the UK. Moreover, our pensions depend on the years you worked and the amount you paid into the pension scheme (insurance). We have lots of senior widows for instance who are really poor and have to apply for income support. 
Unfortunately our winters aren't warmer than yours and since the war in the Ukrainia the energy prices have increased considerably. We don't have oil and gas fields and overslept the development of renewable energies.