New energy scheme launched to support Wiltshire pensioners
It's available to those not receiving Government winter fuel payments
A new support scheme for Wiltshire pensioners has been set up to help with their household bills.
The Targeted Older Person Energy Support scheme comes from the Household Support Fund and is available to pensioners not eligible for the £300 Government Winter Fuel Allowance and receiving a Council Tax Reduction.
Over 1,200 households have been identified by Wiltshire Council as eligible for the new scheme. Other eligibility criteria include:
• being in receipt of a Disabled Band Reduction in their Council Tax liability
• receiving an Adult Social Care package
• being aged 80 years and over.
Those homes will be sent a letter containing a Post Office cash voucher worth £300, with recipients needing to follow instructions included in the letter, telling them them to take the letter to any Post Office branch with one of the forms of ID listed, within three months of the letter date.
We're being warned that texts are circulating pretending to be government announcements encouraging people to apply to local councils for a replacement winter fuel payment.
Wiltshire Council says we should never click on any links asking for personal or bank information to check eligibility, insisting it would never ask for this in reply to receive an award from the Household Support Fund.
People in doubt should contact the council's Wellbeing Hub via email [email protected] or by calling 0300 003 4576.
Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Cabinet Member for Public Health said, “Following the announcement of the Household Support Fund 6, we reviewed allocations of previous funding and changes to government guidance. Earlier allocations of the Household Support Fund have been distributed to families, disabled people, and older adults through more than ninety different schemes.
“I’m really pleased that officers at the council have identified this group for support, bringing this scheme to those most in need across our county. This additional support will provide these pensionable households assistance towards heating costs and other household bills during the ongoing cost of living challenges.”
Local authorities have the flexibility to identify which households are in most need of support and to apply their own discretion when identifying eligibility, but the expectation is that the fund should be used to support households in the most need; particularly those who may not be eligible for the other government support.