PENSIONERS no longer eligible to receive Winter Fuel Allowance may be wondering where else to find help.
Here are some sources of support, and practical tips to help keep costs down.
This year Winter Fuel Payments are no longer universal in England and Wales, but available only to pensioners on means-tested benefits.
Introduced in 1997, they were paid annually every winter to all pension-aged people in the UK, to help with the cost of heating bills.
Payments ranged from £100 to £300, but in the winter of 2022/23, around 11.4 million payments of up to £600 were made, due to extra cost of living payments.
Who is eligible for Winter Fuel Payment?
People in England and Wales now only qualify if they are over 66 years of age, and receiving one of the following: Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Universal Credit, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, or Pension Credit.
Pension Credit is separate from the State Pension, and can be received even if the claimant has other savings, income, or own property.
It provides an individual over the pension age with extra money to help with living costs if they’re on a low income.
Previously paid automatically to anyone over the pension age, it is not yet clear if this will continue to be the case from winter 2024.
Under current rules households collecting Pension Credit will receive Winter Fuel payments of £200, while those collecting Pension Credit, and with someone in the family over the age of 80, can claim £300.
Andy Kerr, Founder of BOXT, installer of boilers, solar panels, air conditioning and heat pumps, said: “Rachel Reeves made the tough decision to change the eligibility requirements for the Winter Fuel Payments, with only those on Pension Credit now eligible.
“Alongside this, the Ofgem Price Cap has been confirmed as increasing from £1,568 to £1,717 for the average household from October 1, leaving more people vulnerable to high energy costs.
“This means people across the country will be worried about how they will deal with higher bills in the colder months.
“Despite energy costs being a major concern since the cost-of-living crisis began, Pension Credit has a worryingly low uptake, with just 63% of those eligible claiming the benefit.¹
“Vulnerable consumers should check their eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payments, as well as other available funds and schemes.”
To find out if they qualify for Pension Credit people can visit an eligibility calculator on the government website.
Who doesn’t qualify?
People not eligible to receive Winter Fuel Payments are: pensioners claiming New style Employment and Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Bereavement Support Payment, State Pension, Disability Living Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, or Attendance Allowance.
What other schemes are available?
Council winter fuel schemes: At least 15 councils in England and Wales, including Reading, are offering their own winter fuel schemes to support senior residents, so it is worth contacting them to find out more.
Household Support Fund was set up in 2021 to support vulnerable households with essential costs like clothing, food, and utilities.
Local councils distribute the fund to eligible residents, and can be contacted to find out what help is available.
Priority Services Register is a free service provided by energy suppliers and network operators to help people needing additional support.
Calls can be made 24/7 for help in case of a power cut or interruption to energy supply.
Ofgem regulations require energy firms to offer a tailored plan to meet people’s needs.
Households can request more time to pay their bills, payment breaks/reductions, and access to hardship funds.
Help For Households on the government website, offers advice and information on where to get financial help.
Energy firm support offers grant schemes from a number of energy providers, for customers struggling to cover their bills.
The Citizens Advice website lists participating firms, or people can contact their energy supplier directly to find out what support they are offering.
British Gas Energy Trust: People unable to get a grant from their supplier may be able to get one from the British Gas Energy Trust.
These are available to anyone, not just British Gas customers.
What practical steps can I take to keep energy costs down?
Energy experts at BOXT suggest:
Smart meters can help people better understand their energy usage via in-home display.
They feedback directly to the energy supplier, avoiding inaccurate readings and unexpectedly high bills.
BOXT recommends that people who don’t already have one should speak to their energy supplier about getting one fitted.
Bleeding radiators: Cold spots on radiators can be caused by air trapped in the system.
Bleeding radiators can help improve their efficiency.
Using a smart thermostat to schedule heating can save up to 10% annually on energy bills.
Systems such as Google Nest Learning Thermostat can help to prevent energy waste by ensuring heating is on only when someone is at home.
Turning the thermostat down by just one degree can significantly reduce bills.
A small change may not be noticed, but can reduce heating costs by 10%.
Check which boiler is best for the home: A system boiler may be a good option for larger houses with high hot water usage, but combi boilers can be more efficient for smaller houses, only heating water when needed.
Consider replacing old boilers: those over 15 years can become inefficient, so it may be worth upgrading to an A-rated boiler to bring energy bills down.
Use insulation: Insulating walls, roofs, and floors can help keep homes warm.Insulating water tanks, pipes and radiators, and applying a hot water cylinder jacket can improve efficiency, save energy and bring down bills.
For more information, visit:
To check Pension Credit eligibility: gov.uk/pension-credit-calculator
Help for Households: helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk
Reading Borough Council: reading.gov.uk (search for winter fuel scheme)
Wokingham Borough Council: wokingham.gov.uk (search for household support)
For energy saving tips, how to bleed a radiator, information about smart thermostats and A-rated boilers: boxt.co.uk/guides
For an Independent Age article on Pension Credit take-up figures ¹ : independentage.org
