WINTER is here and pensioners looking to turn up the thermostat are in need of extra cash as they miss out on £300 due to the winter fuel payment cuts.
The elderly are especially vulnerable this year, following the government’s decision to means test the payment.
In July, chancellor Rachel Reeves decided that the £300 winter fuel payment cash boost would only be available to those on pension credit and other means-tested benefits.
Ten million pensioners are affected – but there are other ways to access financial support during the cold winter months.
Here’s a round-up of all the schemes that pensioners can apply for to get free cash.
Household support fund
You may be eligible for up to a maximum of £500 worth of cost of living payments from the government’s Household Support Fund (HSF) which is worth £421 million in total.
It’s available to support those who are struggling to afford household basics including food, energy, wider essentials, and exceptional costs.
The fund has been split up between councils in England who are in charge of distributing their allocation.
It was set up in 2021, however, it has been extended by the UK government a number of times.
How much you are eligible for is usually based on what benefits you already receive and your financial circumstances.
To be eligible for help, you usually have to be in receipt of a council tax reduction or show proof of being in financial difficulty.
Each council has a different application process – so you’ll have to ask your local authority or find out via your council’s website.
To find out how to contact your local authority, use the gov.uk authority tool checker.
In the last round of funding, some residents received their share automatically, while others had to apply.
Brent council is offering the most, with applicants eligible for up to a maximum of £500.
You’ll need to apply online, with evidence of your most recent bank statements and utility bill.
Haringey London Council is issuing automatic payments to eligible residents, as well as a support fund which can be applied to.
In Darlington, County Durham, the Department for Work and Pensions announced the HSF will be extended up to March 31 2025.
The extra funding can be used in the form of food vouchers, for families of a child who receives benefit-related school meals.
They will also be given food vouchers for the school holidays.
Foodbanks across Darlington will see more support too, thanks to the HSF as demand rises.
Eligible residents can also use the uniform exchange scheme which could help with the cost of sending kids back to school.
Meanwhile, £100 will be available for all care leavers.
Those living in Derby could be eligible for financial support in the form of supermarket food vouchers – worth as much as £125 – if their household has children under the age of 19.
And Rotherham Council is now offering struggling families £250 grants to fight the cost of living.
Warm Home discount
There are two Warm Home Discount schemes – one for England and Wales, and one for Scotland.
Those living in England and Wales do not need to apply for the scheme, but those living in Scotland do.
Between now and December, the government will issue letters to households that qualify for the scheme.
However, to be eligible for the discount, you must have claimed one of nine means-tested benefits on a specific date in August.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, which administers the £150 Warm Home Discount, says households must have had an active claim for any of the following benefits on Sunday, August 11:
However, even if you weren’t receiving Pension Credit on the qualifying date of August 11, there’s a trick you can follow to ensure that you get the extra cash later.
This is because your eligibility for certain benefits can be backdated.
For example, successful pension credit claims can be backdated by three months.
The latest figures show that a whopping 760,000 people are eligible but haven’t made a claim – so it’s well worth checking if you could bag some cash.
To find out more, visit gov.uk/pension-credit
The Sun has already launched a free tool to help you check whether you are eligible for benefits.
The free benefits checker is in partnership with poverty charity Turn2Us as part of our Winter Fuel SOS campaign.
Cold weather payments
The Cold Weather Payment is a benefit that provides a £25 payment for each seven-day period when the average temperature in your area is zero degrees Celsius or below.
The payments are usually made between November 1 and March 31 to those on certain benefits.
Payments are usually processed in 14 working days.
That means if you live somewhere where temperatures were sub-zero for two weeks, you would get £50.
You usually qualify for a cold weather payment if you are on one of the following benefits:
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit
- Support for Mortgage Interest
Most eligible people don’t need to apply to get cold weather payments.
However, if you are on Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and have had a baby or have a child under five living with you, you need to tell your local Jobcentre Plus centre.
If you don’t, you won’t receive any of the payments despite being eligible.
You can check if you’re eligible for a cold weather payment via gov.uk.
Charity grants
Plenty of charities are keen to help out in response to the government scaling back the winter fuel payment and to help people through the cost of living crisis.
For those living with cancer, Macmillan’s Financial Grants Scheme was established to help support those who are struggling to cover essential living costs.
People living with MND are also eligible for up to £500 worth of cost of living payments, via the MND Association.
The Suffolk Community Foundation has launched the 14th year of its annual Surviving Winter appeal, which is in response to winter fuel payments being slashed.
The British Legion has also set up a Cost of Living grant, which can be applied for here using the Lightning Reach portal.
You can also find out what grants may be available to you using Turn2Us’s grant search on the charity website.
There are a huge range of grants available for different people – including those who are bereaved, disabled, unemployed, redundant, ill, a carer, veteran, young person or old person.
Energy firm hardship
A number of energy firms offer grants to struggling customers, including Scottish Power, Octopus Energy and British Gas.
If you’re struggling to pay your bills, speak to your supplier to see if they can give you any help.
You might also be able to get help via the Energy Company Obligation (ECO).
Under the scheme, suppliers have a legal obligation to implement energy-saving measures in your home.
Help is offered on a case-by-case basis, but it can mean having a new boiler fitted, or loft or cavity wall insulation put in, often for free.
You also have to be claiming certain benefits to qualify for the scheme.
The British Gas Energy Support Fund began accepting new applications from Monday, 4th November, providing grants to customers facing difficulties paying their bills.
Any British Gas or Scottish Gas energy customer who is struggling to pay their energy bill and has sought financial and energy advice is eligible to apply for support.
Successful applicants could receive a grant of up to £2,000 to help with outstanding debts – £500 more than what was available to households last winter.
To be considered for a grant, you must meet the following criteria:
- Reside in England, Scotland, or Wales
- Have not received a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust in the past 12 months
- Have either a credit or prepayment meter with an outstanding account debt
Read more on the Scottish Sun
Proof of income will be required at the point of application.
The Sun’s Winter Fuel S.O.S Campaign
THE Sun’s Winter Fuel SOS Campaign is here to support households during these challenging times.
Due to government cutbacks, ten million pensioners are set to lose the £300 Winter Fuel Payment.
Since opening our phone lines to thousands of pensioners in October, we remain dedicated to providing tips and advice on how to stretch your finances further.
That’s why we have partnered with the poverty charity Turn2Us to launch a free benefits checker, helping you ensure that you are claiming all the benefits to which you are entitled.
Don’t miss our latest Sun Money coverage, which includes essential information on key deadlines, applying for support, and everything you need to know about Pension Credit.
If you have a story to share or wish to get in touch with our team, please email us at money-sm@news.co.uk.
