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Extra payments to help with heating bills - and the value of the Warm Front scheme As I’ve been out and about chatting with older people about how they are coping with the snow and ice (January 2010), I’m reminded how much Government Winter Fuel Payments are appreciated.
It’s not just pensioners who are getting extra help. The extreme temperatures this winter mean other North East Somerset residents who are on a low income receive extra money to help with heating bills. The Government has trebled Cold Weather Payments to £25 each time temperatures fall below zero for a week. Locally that’s happened twice already this winter, and those who qualify should get the £50 automatically.
And for years I’ve been organising regular events to help people find out more about the Government’s Warm Front scheme, which helps pay for home heating and insulation measures. The value of these events really hits home when sub-zero temperatures bite. And nearly 2,000 North East Somerset homes are warmer and more energy-efficient this winter as a result of Warm Front.
To find out more about these schemes, please use the links below: Written for the Somerset Guardian January 2010
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Payments
of £250 for households with someone aged 60 to 79, and £400
with someone aged 80 and over, really help avoid worries about turning
up the heating.