Most of the schemes you mention are tiny, token gestures to gain political brownie points, and have little overall impact on the cost of heating for pensioners.
300 US dollars (450+ US dollars if over 80) to all pensioners (defined as over 60 in the UK for this) does not sound that trivial.
Heck, they are even paying out the money to pensioners retiring to warmer Spain -
Expected cost this year for this one programme is about 3,300 million US dollars, not that trivial...:^)