Winter Well-Being Campaign Factsheet 2012-13
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Winter Well-being Campaign Factsheet 2012-13
This factsheet tells you about financial support and tips to keep well and warm in winter.
Financial Support:………………………………………………… 2
Warm Home Discount Scheme
Broader Group Schemes
Winter Fuel Payment
Cold Weather Payments
Grants: Hampton Fuel Allotments, Richmond Parish Lands, Barnes Workhouse Fund and Charis grants.
Help with Insulation: …………………………………………… 9
Coldbusters
Home Insulation Discount Scheme
Warm Front Scheme
RENEW Energy Scheme
Winter Warmth Project
Other Advice to Help Reduce Energy Costs:………………. 11
Check your Tariff, Dual Fuel Discount, Direct Debit Discount
Energysmart
Priority Service Register
Energy Saving Trust
Top Tips for Winter Warmth:………………………………….. 13
Preparing for winter
Staying Healthy
Keeping Warm
Keeping your home warm
Useful Organisations………………………………………….. 16
Financial support:
Warm Home Discount Scheme 2012/2013
The Warm Home Discount scheme provides help for some vulnerable people with their energy costs. You may qualify for a discount or rebate of £130 from participating electricity providers if you are claiming certain state benefits.
Who Qualifies?
There are two main qualifying groups; group one, who will automatically qualify and group two, the broader group who will need to apply to their energy provider.
Those in group one will automatically qualify if on the 21 July 2012 they are under 80 and receiving the guarantee credit element of pension credit only (no saving credit) or Over 80 and were receiving guarantee credit element (even if you have saving credit) and you or your partners name appears on your energy bill and your energy supplier is participating in the scheme. See list below for participating suppliers.
If you meet the conditions above for group one you do not need to do anything now to get your discount in 2012/2013. The government will write to all those potentially eligible for the discount in winter 2012/2013, telling you if you need to take further action. If you get a letter asking you to call the helpline to confirm if you can get the discount, you must call before 13 March 2013. If you do not call you will not be able to get the discount.
Those in group two, The Broader Group, may also be eligible if they meet certain criteria set out by participating energy suppliers approved by Ofgem. Each energy provider’s criteria may differ so you will have contact your provider to see if you qualify. Generally those in the broader group are likely to include disabled people and those with long-term illness, people on a low income and in receipt of certain benefits and those with children under a certain age. Those in this broader group do not automatically qualify and will need to apply to their energy provider.
Energy suppliers participating in the scheme:
The electricity suppliers involved in this scheme are: Atlantic, British Gas, EDF Energy, E.ON, Equipower, Equigas, Manweb, M&S Energy, npower, Sainsbury's Energy, Scottish Gas, Scottish Hydro, ScottishPower, Southern Electric, SSE, Swalec and Utility Warehouse.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and these suppliers will share some information about their customers to allow suppliers to give the energy rebate automatically to customers who qualify.
How and when you will get your discount
Energy discounts for 2012/2013 will be made during the winter months. If you qualify you’ll get a letter to confirm this.
If you think you’re eligible but haven’t got a letter about the scheme by February 2013 call the Warm Home Discount Scheme Helpline.
· Call 0845 603 9439 (Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 6.00 pm).
Discounts will be paid and funded by participating electricity suppliers.
If you have a general query about this scheme call the Warm Home Discount Scheme Help Line.
· Call 0845 603 9439 (Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 6.00 pm).
You can also find more information on the scheme by visiting your energy provider’s or the DWP’s websites.
Winter Fuel Payment
Who is eligible
You may get a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2012/13 if both the following apply:
· you have reached the qualifying age (born on or before 5 July 1951)
· you normally live in Great Britain or Northern Ireland on any day in the week of 17-23 September 2012
You won’t qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment if, throughout the week of 17–23 September 2012:
· you were in hospital for more than 52 weeks previously, getting free treatment as an inpatient
· you were in custody serving a court sentence
· you were subject to immigration control and did not qualify for help from the Department for Work and Pensions
· you lived in a care home, an independent hospital or Ilford Park Polish Resettlement Home (and had done so for the previous 12 weeks or more) and you were on Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance
The Winter Fuel Payment is a yearly (tax-free) payment to help with winter heating. It does not affect any other benefits. There is no income or savings limits and the payments are not taxable.
Winter Fuel Payments are paid to pensioner households to help with the cost of fuel. They are paid if you have reached the minimum State Pension age for women during the qualifying week, which is the week beginning with the third Monday in September. The Minimum state pension age for women is changing from 60 under new government reforms and is set to increase in six monthly increments. For this reason you need to consult the table below to see if you qualify. For example in the winter of 2012/2013, you qualify if you were born on or before 5 July 1951.
Winter Fuel Payment qualifying dates
Winter / Must be born on or before this date to qualify2012/13 / 5 July 1951
2013/14 / 5 January 1952
2014/15 / 5 July 1952 ( info taken from gov.uk )
There is a state pension age calculator which you can find at:
www.gov.uk/calculate-state-pension (remember to select female for gender when doing this calculation for both men and women).
If you are over 60 and have received the Winter Fuel Payment before, you should automatically get it this year without having to apply again.
You don't need to claim if: you're eligible and receiving at least one of the following (during the week of 17–23 September 2012):
State Pension, Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance, Bereavement Benefit, Carer’s Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Graduated Retirement Benefit, Incapacity Benefit, Industrial Injuries Benefits, Severe Disablement Allowance, War Pension, Widow’s Benefit.
You’ll need to claim your Winter Fuel Payment if the following apply:
· you qualify
· you’re not receiving any of the benefits above in ‘Who doesn’t need to claim’
· you are getting Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit or Child Benefit only
You’ll need to claim if you have received a Winter Fuel Payment before but your circumstances have changed. If you do not get an automatic payment, you must make your claim between January and 31 March in the following year. Claims made before 21 September should be paid before Christmas and claims made after will be paid in new-year.
How to claim
You can claim by, either downloading a form the DWP’s website: www.gov.uk and returning it to:
Winter Fuel Payment Team
Department for Work and Pensions
PO Box 10142
Annesley
Nottingham
NG15 5WY
If you’re unable to download the form online, you can get a claim form sent to you. Call the Winter Fuel Payment Helpline on: 0845 9 15 15 15.
How it is paid
You’ll receive your Winter Fuel Payment in the same way as you usually receive your State Pension or benefit.
There will be one payment for both of you, if you’re a couple and both receiving any of the following:
· Pension Credit
· income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
· income-related Employment and Support Allowance
If your partner gets any of the above benefits for you both, your partner will receive the full amount for both of you.
How much you will receive
The amount of Winter Fuel Payment you can get varies according to your personal situation and circumstances.
You can find how much you will receive by visiting the website at: https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment
For advice call the Winter Fuel Payment Helpline on 0845 915 1515, or ask us at Richmond AID on 020 8831 6070.
You can get a claim form online at: https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/how-to-claim
Cold Weather Payments
You may be entitled to extra money in any week between November 1st and 31 March when the weather is very cold.
A period of very cold weather is when the temperature is either:
· recorded as an average of zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days in a row
· forecast to be an average zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days in a row
Who can get Cold Weather Payments?
If you get Pension Credit, you will usually receive Cold Weather Payments.
If you are of pensionable age and receiving a basic state pension you may be eligible to claim pension credit. Unlike the State pension, Pension Credit is not automatically paid and must be claimed. Millions of Pension Credits go unclaimed each year and as a result those eligible may miss out on other entitlements such as Cold Weather Payments.
To see if you qualify for Pension Credit please call the Pension Service on: 0800 99 1234 or textphone: 0800 169 0133. Lines are open 8.00 am to 8.00 pm Monday to Friday (except public holidays).
When you phone, you need the following information:
· your National Insurance number
· information about your savings, investments and income
· details of the account into which you would like any Pension Credit payments to be paid
An adviser will help you apply for Pension Credit and let you know what happens next.
Income Support and income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
If you receive Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, you will get Cold Weather Payments if you also have any of the following:
· a disability or pensioner premium included in your benefit
· a child who is disabled
· Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
· a child under five living with you
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
If you get Income-related ESA, you will usually receive Cold Weather Payments if you also have any of the following:
· the support or work-related component of ESA
· a severe or enhanced disability premium included in your benefit
· a pensioner premium included in your benefit
· a child who is disabled
· Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
· a child under five living with you
If you have a child under five living with you
If you are getting Income Support, income-based Jobseekers Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance you will need to tell Jobcentre Plus when:
· you have had a baby
· a child under five has come to live with you
If you don’t, you won’t automatically get any Cold Weather Payments that you may be due.
In all other circumstances you will be paid automatically if you qualify.
How much will you get?
The payment is £25 for each consecutive seven days when the temperature is (on average) zero degrees Celsius or less during the qualifying period. This does not affect other benefits.
How is it paid?
Cold weather Payments will be paid into the same bank or building society account that receives your benefit payments. The payment is usually made within 14 working days after each period of cold weather in your postcode area.
If you don’t receive your Cold Weather Payment
Tell your pension centre or Jobcentre Plus office if you think you should have received a Cold Weather Payment but you have not had one.
Grants
Hampton Fuel Allotment Charity
Provides grants to help with fuel bills to people on a low income that live in Hampton, Hampton Wick, Hampton Hill, Teddington, Twickenham, Whitton, Mill Farm Estate and Edgar Road, or to Richmond tenants on the Butts Farm estate.
Individual applications can be made by visiting www.hfac.co.uk and downloading an application form. Application forms are also available from the principal office, St Mary’s, All Saints and St James’s vicarages, the Greenwood Centre, the Citizens Advice Bureaux and Richmond Aid. Health visitors and social services also have them for applying on behalf of their clients. Application requests cannot be made by email.
Completed applications should be returned to:
The Grants Manager
Hampton Fuel Allotment Charity
15 High Street, Hampton
TW12 2SA
For further enquiries Tel: 020 8941 7866.
Richmond Parish Lands Charity
Provides grants to residents of TW9, TW10 or SW14 postcodes. Their Winter Warmth campaign begins January 2012. A £100 payment per household is available to people of pension age on means-tested benefits and to people under 60 years of age who are on means-tested benefits and who have a disability which leads to higher heating bills.
A card to apply is sent to all people who have claimed this in the past.
For people who are eligible but haven’t claimed before, cards can be obtained from your local GP, Citizens Advice Bureau, Richmond AID and Age UK Richmond.
Barnes Workhouse Fund
The Barnes Workhouse Fund accepts grant applications for individuals living in the SW13 area who are having difficulties paying their heating bills.
Individuals cannot apply directly and need to be referred. The fund takes referrals from most organisations or Referral agencies that support individuals, for instance, many applications are made to the Fund through the Citizens Advice Bureau, Social Workers or through a Housing Association. Grant forms are available from Richmond AID and other advice organisations.
Referral Agencies wishing to obtain an Application Form for an Individual Application, please contact the Clerk to Trustees direct:
The Clerk to Trustees
PO Box 665, Richmond
TW10 6YL
Tel: 020 8241 3994
Charis Grants