A £50K Winter Fuel Support Fund to support pensioners in the district on a low income, who aren’t eligible for Pension Credit or other available funding and are in fuel poverty, has been agreed by councillors at Rochford District Council’s meeting of Full Council this week (Tuesday 17 December).
Under the Rochford Winter Fuel Support Scheme, successful applicants, who are state pension age or above, will receive a one-off payment of £100, with one payment per household. Applications will be open until 31 March 2025 or until the fund is exhausted. Grants will be distributed on a first come first serve basis.
The fund follows a motion that was unanimously supported cross-party at September’s Full Council meeting that agreed for the Council Leader, to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer calling for the policy on linking Winter Fuel Payments to Pension Credit receipt to be immediately paused and to introduce a new threshold to determine eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments. It was also agreed the Council would sign the ‘Save the Winter Fuel Payment for Struggling Pensioners’ Age UK petition and carry out a comprehensive awareness campaign to maximise applications for Pension Credit. An urgent review on what other financial support is available to pensioners and what more the Council could do to support pensioners who remain in fuel poverty was also agreed – the Rochford Council Winter Fuel Support Fund is a result of that review.
The Leader of Rochford District Council, Councillor James Newport, said: “We have always believed the current threshold for eligibility for Pension Credit is far too low. The reality is that many pensioners with low to middle incomes are now excluded from receiving the Winter Fuel payment, placing them at increased risk of fuel poverty.
“Our calls for the Government to change the threshold for eligibility for Winter Fuel payments have been ignored, now we have come up with a scheme on how we can support pensioners in the district who up until a few months ago were expecting the Winter Fuel payment and now find themselves worrying about whether to put the heating on. Our Winter Fuel Support Fund is a one-off payment of £100 to eligible pensioner households and we encourage our older residents who are struggling financially to contact us. Even if you aren’t eligible for this fund, contact our Revenues and Benefits team who can advise on other help you may be entitled to.”
For more information and to apply to the Rochford Winter Fuel Support Fund, visit www.rochford.gov.uk/WinterFuelSupportFund or call 01702 546366.