Thank you orangutan - another few days of improving and I’ll be out of that Christmas job I’d thought of applying for 
(how important do you think a good sense of direction is when sled pulling?)
Thank you Jazzi - still sniffling a bit but the problem with kitchen roll, it’s a lot harsher on the old schnozzle isn’t it! I also bought another two packets to replace the ones I got through! If I knew who it was that dreamt up the content of various cold germs, I’d tell them to take a chill pill - that was way over the top in the cold stakes! 
Some time ago I accidentally purchased a huge roll of disposable cloths (thought it was kitchen roll) which consists of a very soft fabric type stuff. It is brilliant for cleaning me specs, and wiping nose, wiping sticky fingers etc. find it brilliant for a quick wipe down of kitchen surfaces or cleaning top of cooker. Can be used wet or dry and each sheet lasts a while. Sorry forget the name, but it was at Tesco and in the same area as kitchen rolls etc.
It does I have it and my storage heating and water are on the night meter 
Quite warm here yesterday, t shirt weather really so no heating yet.
And so, to get back on track! 
Since my last post I have contacted my local MP and laid out my concerns regarding people who are, and who are not, entitled to a new central heating boiler. I neglected to put my full address and telephone number on my original email as I wasn’t aware that this was required until I received an automated reply.
However, I have received an email from her offices to ask me to provide this information so, if I get any further responses, I will let you know. I said words to the effect that there was a loop-hole in the system and that not all pensioners had thousands saved up. I outlined my own personal circumstances and held nothing back, and asked if this apparent loop-hole might be addressed.
I kept the email very polite, but also highlighted why it was wrong for ALL people on benefits to qualify for such an important household appliance, most especially the elderly. Methinks the old means testing wasn’t such a bad idea after all. 
I’ll let you know how I get on.
Good luck and hope you get a positive response !
Never understand why means testing is such a bad thing BTW it does ensure the right people get things.
Indeed Julie, you’re right there, especially in this day and age.
An update for you. I have now received a reply to this email I sent to my local MP which came as a total surprise:
[I]Me to lisa.nandy.mp@parliament.uk
17 Oct
Dear Ms Nandy
In September of last year I had new loft insulation and cavity wall insulation installed in my home under the government scheme, for which I was very grateful.
I looked into the possibility of having a new central heating boiler under the same scheme to replace my 40 year old boiler, but was told that one has to be ON benefits to receive such an important household item.
My situation is this. In September this year my old boiler was put AT RISK and, although not classed as totally condemned, I have been urged not to use it any longer. I am on a full pension but, as I live alone and can not survive on just this amount, I have continued to work part-time after the official retiring age, and I will be 64 in December.
Is it assumed by the government that anybody that has officially retired has sufficient funds to cover the enormous cost of a new central heating boiler? This is not a sarcastic question - just a question - as there appears to be a loop-hole in this wonderful scheme. The only way I could afford a new boiler would be to get a bank loan, which I’m not prepared to do as I’ve no wish to put myself into debt.
I’ve worked full time for 45 years (some of it for the MoD) and for the last four part-time and have never been on any benefits so, it would appear that, because of that, I don’t qualify. There appears to be a bit of a loop-hole here and one which perhaps could be addressed. As my local MP I have written this to highlight the fact that not everybody gets a new boiler despite their circumstances, but because of them. I’ve never sought any benefit of any kind off the government in my 49 working years so I am appealing to you to “hopefully” take this on board.[/I]
=============================================
Today I received a letter through my door with House of Commons on the top left of the envelope, and it reads:
[I]Dear Ms …
Thank you for your letter concerning the Warm Front scheme.
I have written to the Minister in charge of this, the Rt Hon Ed Davey MP, to see if he can provide more information on these issues. I will write to you again when I have received a reply.
Yours sincerely
Lisa Nandy MP [/I]
=============================================
At least I got a reply, which is something I certainly didn’t expect. 
Hope you get what you need ! Sounds like you have decent MP so you might !
Thanks for reading, Julie, but I’m not living in hopes.
Nope, got no further with this but, to be perfectly honest, I’m a lot warmer in my living room now with my two electric heaters than I ever was with the gas central heating. However, the rest of the house is cold, but I have found ways to combat that.
When I’m going for a shower, I put a little electric blow heater in there for 20 minutes before I go up and, as my bathroom is small, it heats up a treat before I switch it off again.
I’m not bothered about my bedroom as I spend little time in there except to get into my night clothes and into bed where I warm up quickly so, all in all, I’m not really missing my central heating but, then again, it’s not freezing yet. :shock:
In October last year I hadn’t had my heating on since March there as no need, if I was cold I just used the little heater in my living room were I spend most of my time. When I moved in my husband would deal with all the technical things like the heating but he was away working and I had to work it out on my own!
Boilers are pretty scary - you hear all sorts of horror stories so I did some googling before I got cracking and I found these videos from a company called CORGI homeplan that were really helpful.
Turns out I had to reset the boiler and their video showed me exactly how to do it. There are other ones too so if you’re having problems, it might be worth checking them out - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhaPXECpxT8
I went to find out some more about them and it turns out they have a whole website dedicated to safety in the home so any questions, it’s a good place to go - www.corgi-homeplan-how-safe-is-your-home.org
Hope this helps others