Pensioners missing out on £150million in help with heating bills

MORE than a million pensioners are missing out on cold weather payments as they struggle to stay warm in freezing temperatures, official data revealed.

Pensioners on low incomes can get help via cold weather payments of £25 per week during cold spells and can also get a discount on energy bills through the Warm Home Discount Scheme.

But only certain pensioners claiming Pension Credit get these payments automatically, and Government figures show that up to 1.4 million are missing out on the benefit and therefore on cold weather payments and other help.

The total amount lost this winter alone is approaching £150million and is rising with every week of cold weather.

Sir Steve Webb, former pensions minister and now director of policy at Royal London, said: “Many pensioners are worried about fuel bills, so it is good that there are schemes such as cold weather payments and the warm home discount to help the most vulnerable.

“However, it’s shocking that the Government admits that up to 1.4 million pensioners could be missing out because they fail to claim Pension Credit which triggers entitlement to these other

forms of help.” Department for Work and Pensions figures show up to £3.3billion of Pension Credit went unclaimed in 2015/16 – with the average household that failed to claim missing out on about £2,000.

Cold weather payments of £25 a week – which are in addition to the winter fuel payments that are given to all pensioners – kick in when the average temperature in your local area is forecast to dip to freezing or below for a period of seven days.

So far this winter, the DWP has paid out £40million, with just under half going to pensioners. Under the Warm Home Discount Scheme energy companies give a £140 rebate on electricity bills for people receiving the “guarantee credit” element of Pension Credit.

DWP estimates that up to 950,000 of the poorest pensioners are missing out on this – a total of £133million.

Guy Opperman, minister for pensions and financial inclusion, said this week: “We urge pensioners across the UK to check that they and their relatives, friends and neighbours are keeping warm and receiving the support they are entitled to.”