Five ways to stay healthy this
winter
Wednesday, 19 December 2012
Monday, 17 December 2012
Extra help with energy if you're vulnerable or on a low income
Extra help with energy if you're vulnerable or on a low income
You may be classed as vulnerable if you are:- a pensioner
- disabled
- chronically ill
- unable to look after your own welfare or living with someone who is unable to look after their own welfare
This page outlines the different schemes available to vulnerable and low-income customers and explains who can access them.
Priority Services Register
The Priority Services Register is run by energy suppliers and offers free services for older people and those with disabilities. These include priority reconnection following a power cut, a service to take regular meter readings if you’re unable to do it yourself, and bills tailored to your needs, including large print and Braille. You need to register with your supplier to take advantage of the services offered.More information on the Priority Services Register and how to get your name listed
Extra help with bills in the Winter
There are several government schemes which offer extra help with higher bills during the winter months. These are:The Winter Fuel Payment
If you are of the state pension age during the qualifying week (which always begins on the third Monday of September), or live with someone born on or before that date, you may be able to get the Winter Fuel Payment. It is also often known as the Winter Fuel Allowance.More information on the Winter Fuel Payment and how to claim it
The Warm Home Discount Scheme
Many pensioners and people on certain benefits can get an automatic rebate on their electricity bills.More information on the Warm Home Discount Scheme and how to find out if you’re eligible
Cold Weather Payments
Cold Weather Payments can help people who get certain benefits with their additional heating costs if it is very cold during the winter.More information on Cold Weather Payments and to find out if you’re eligible
If you’re eligible for any of these benefits you should get them automatically. Find out what benefits you’re entitled to.
Grants and schemes for home insulation
You can reduce your energy bills by making sure your home is well insulated. There are a number of schemes from energy companies and the government to help pay for the costs. If you are a vulnerable customer or on a low income, you may even qualify for free or discounted insulation.More information on grants and schemes available for home insulation
Help if you’re in debt to your energy supplier
If you’re on certain benefits, you may also be able to the Fuel Direct scheme. This allows you to have your energy payments taken directly from your benefits. Contact your Jobcentre Plus or pensions office to find out whether you are eligible.
For help finding your local Jobcentre Plus or pensions office, visit the Directgov website at www.direct.gov.uk.
In Northern Ireland, you can find your local Jobs and Benefits office from www.nidirect.gov.uk.
Next steps
Get more help and advice on what to do if you’re having trouble paying your energy bills or are in debt to your supplierMake sure you’re getting all the benefits you’re entitled to
If you need more help
More information about help with energy
The Home Heat Helpline
Telephone: 0800 336699 (freephone)
Website: www.homeheathelpline.org.uk
The Energy Saving Trust
The Energy Saving Trust has a searchable database of grants and schemes, along with an online home energy check to find out where you could make savings on your bills. You can also contact your local Energy Saving Trust advice centre for help:Telephone: 0800 512 012 (freephone)
Website: www.est.org.uk
Source:
Warm Home Discount Scheme
Warm Home Discount Scheme
If you are a pensioner or are classed as a vulnerable customer, you may be entitled to extra help with your gas and electricity bills during the winter months, including the Warm Home Discount Scheme.This page explains what the Warm Home Discount Scheme is, who is eligible, and how to claim it.
Top tips
If you’re not a pensioner on a low income, you may still be eligible for the Warm Home Discount Scheme. Each energy supplier has different criteria, so contact your supplier to check whether you’re eligible.What is the Warm Home Discount Scheme?
If you are on a low income, you may qualify for the Warm Home Discount Scheme. This gives a rebate to pensioners on low incomes and some other customers on low incomes. The rebate is £130 on your electricity bill for winter 2012 -2013. The Warm Home Discount Scheme will run each winter until 2014/15.The Warm Home Discount Scheme is run by energy companies, who are required by law to offer this rebate.
Who qualifies for a Warm Home Discount?
In 2012-2013 if you are a pensioner on 21 July 2012, you can qualify for a Warm Home Discount if you are either:- under 80 and only get the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit – not the Savings Credit part
- 80 or over and get the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit - even if you also get the Savings Credit part.
More information on energy suppliers taking part in the Warm Home Discount Scheme from the Department for Energy and Climate Change website at www.decc.gov.uk.
If you are on a low income
If you are on a low income, it will be up to your supplier to decide whether you can get the Warm Home Discount. You may be eligible if you're on a low income and you have a disability or long-term illness, or children. The actual criteria used will vary depending on your supplier.You can check your supplier's criteria on the Consumer Focus website at www.consumerfocus.org.uk.
How to claim a Warm Home Discount
If you are a pensioner eligible for the Warm Home Discount, the Department for Work and Pensions will try to make sure you get this discount automatically. If you are missed out, you can ask for the discount directly from your supplier.If you are on a low income, you will need to contact your energy supplier for details of whether you are eligible. If you believe you are eligible, you will then need to apply directly to your supplier.
More information on applying to your energy supplier for the Warm Home Discount from the Department for Energy and Climate Change website at www.decc.gov.uk
If you’re on a social tariff
Some customers may qualify for their supplier’s social tariff. This might apply to you if you are on a low income, are disabled or have long-term health problems. The Warm Home Discount is intended to replace the different social tariffs offered by different providers.If you are on a social tariff, your supplier will contact you soon to inform you that the tariff is being phased out. You may be offered a Warm Home Discount instead.
However, some customers who now qualify for a social tariff may not qualify for help under the Warm Home Discount Scheme. There will also be some customers who find that the discount under the new scheme is less than the social tariff discount they are getting now. Some additional help might be available to make up for this shortfall.
Contact your supplier for further information.
Next steps
More information about extra help with energy if you’re older, disabled or on a low income.If you need more help
More information
The Home Heat Helpline
The Home Heat Helpline is a service for vulnerable customers struggling to pay their bills. It is funded by the energy suppliers, and provides information on grants, payment schemes and benefits that may be available as well as basic advice about energy efficiency.Telephone: 0800 336699 (freephone)
Website: www.homeheathelpline.org.uk
The Energy Saving Trust
The Energy Saving Trust has a searchable database of grants and schemes, along with an online home energy check to find out where you could make savings on your bills. You can also contact your local Energy Saving Trust advice centre for help:Telephone: 0800 512 012 (freephone)
Website: www.est.org.uk
Source:
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/wales/consumer_w/consumer_energy_and_water_supply_e/consumer_energy_supply_e/consumer_help_if_youre_older_disabled_or_on_a_low_income_e/warm_home_discount_scheme.htm
Fuel poverty 'could hit another 300,000' people
Fuel poverty 'could hit another 300,000' people
Price hikes will push another 300,000 people into fuel
poverty by Christmas and 9 million homes could be in fuel poverty by 2016,
according to the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group.
While the government says it is acting to reduce energy
prices, new figures show price hikes will push another 300,000 people into fuel
poverty within weeks.
"With a cold winter, welfare reforms cutting
incomes, and all at a time of austerity measures and other rising household
costs, the plight of the fuel poor has never been more serious,” said Derek
Lickorish, chairman of the Department of Energy-funded group Fuel Poverty
Advisory Group.
Millions are living in misery due to high energy bills,
he said. Nearly half of the UK's fuel poor households are pensioners, a third
of homes house people with a disability or illness, 20 per cent include a child
aged five or under and one in 10 house someone aged 75 or over.
300,000 more homes in fuel poverty
Some 300,000 more homes are likely to have been pushed
into "fuel poverty" by Christmas amid soaring energy prices, an
advisory body has warned.
The Fuel Poverty Advisory Group (FPAG) urged Prime
Minister David Cameron to take stronger action to ensure there is a more
widespread and ambitious effort to tackle "spiralling" fuel poverty
levels. It said the latest round of energy price rises has increased the
average annual energy bill by 7%, taking it to £1,247 for direct debit customers
and £1,336 for cash and cheque customers.
These increases are likely to have pushed a further
300,000 households into fuel poverty and estimates have already shown that over
nine million households could be living in fuel poverty by 2016, the FPAG said.
The FPAG said the Government should create a
cross-departmental group on fuel poverty to ensure a joined-up approach as well
as creating a new duty for local authorities to meet fuel poverty targets. It
said the Government should also carry out an urgent impact assessment of
welfare reforms on fuel poverty.
How to cut your energy use and save money
It is cold out on the streets of Britain at the moment
and that means it is tempting to stay at home and turn the thermostat up.
The cost of doing so is still rising fast.
Eon has joined the other major energy providers: SSE,
British Gas, Npower, Scottish Power and EDF.
All have now announced big price rises this winter for
their customers.
But the Energy Saving Trust reckons that British
households are wasting an average of £270 each a year by wasting their heat.
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