HUNDREDS of struggling pensioners could receive a one-off voucher worth £100 to help with their energy bills this winter.
It follows the government’s decision to make winter fuel payments means-tested.
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The Older Adults Winter Support programme by Peterborough City Council is aimed to help around 1,000 of the most vulnerable pensioners in the area.
The scheme, which is funded by the Household Support Fund, will be accepting applications until March.
To be eligible, applicants must be aged 65 or over and live alone or with another person aged 65 or over.
They must have a household income of less than £320 per week, with savings of £10,000 or less – with proof provided.
And they must not be eligible for Pension Credit.
To apply for the scheme, which is run in partnership with Age UK, pensioners should contact the charity’s Cambridgeshire and Peterborough branch.
The charity will then assess each claim, and suggest alternative forms of winter support if applicable.
Labour councillor Alison Jones said: “With winter just around the corner, we wanted to do something to specifically help older people who may be struggling and feeling vulnerable right now.”
Many other councils around the country are using the Household Support Fund to give one-off payments to vulnerable pensioners.
For example, Norfolk County Council is giving out £120 to eligible applicants.
Charities are also giving out gadgets such as air-fryers and heated blankets to help those struggling with energy bills.
Labour’s decision to scrap winter fuel payments was announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves earlier this year.
However, the support will still be available to those on certain benefits – including Pension Credit, income support, tax credits and Universal Credit.
How has the Household Support Fund evolved?
The Household Support Fund was first launched in October 2021 to help Brits pay their way through winter amid the cost of living crisis.
Councils up and down the country got a slice of the £421million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
It was then extended for a second time in the 2022 Spring Budget and for a third time in October 2022 to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.
The DWP then confirmed a fourth extension of the scheme through to March 31, 2024.
Former chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended the HSF for the fifth time while delivering his Spring Budget on March 6, 2024.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently confirmed that eligible households will receive payments from November through to December.
To apply for the Older Adults Winter Support, call 01733 564 185 or email pbws@ageukcap.org.uk.
What is the Winter Fuel Payment?
Consumer reporter Sam Walker explains all you need to know about the payment.
The Winter Fuel Payment is an annual tax-free benefit designed to help cover the cost of heating through the colder months.
Most who are eligible receive the payment automatically.
Those who qualify are usually told via a letter sent in October or November each year.
If you do meet the criteria but don’t automatically get the Winter Fuel Payment, you will have to apply on the government’s website.
You’ll qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment this winter if:
- you were born on or before September 23, 1958
- you lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of September 16 to 22, 2024, known as the “qualifying week”
- you receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit, ESA, JSA, Income Support, Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit
If you did not live in the UK during the qualifying week, you might still get the payment if both the following apply:
- you live in Switzerland or a EEA country
- you have a “genuine and sufficient” link with the UK social security system, such as having lived or worked in the UK and having a family in the UK
But there are exclusions – you can’t get the payment if you live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain.
This is because the average winter temperature is higher than the warmest region of the UK.
You will also not qualify if you:
- are in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year
- need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave states that you can not claim public funds
- were in prison for the whole “qualifying week”
- lived in a care home for the whole time between 26 June to 24 September 2023, and got Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Payments are usually made between November and December, with some made up until the end of January the following year.
