Around a million pensioners across the UK will receive
£140 off their fuel bills thanks to Government efforts working with
energy firms to cut their costs.
Eligible Pension Credit customers who qualify for the discount
were identified after the Department for Work and Pensions
cross-checked its records with energy suppliers.
Customer data was matched with records from more than 50
participating suppliers so that 95% of pensioners who will get
the discount will receive it without having to lift a finger –
savings totalling £137 million.
The deduction, called the Warm Home Discount Scheme, will be
taken automatically from energy bills before March 2021, with
most pensioners receiving their discounts between now and
January.
A further 220,000 pensioners who meet part of the eligibility
criteria but are not yet benefiting will receive a letter
encouraging them to claim via a dedicated helpline.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Thérèse Coffey, said:
This Government has actively helped pensioners on low incomes
with their energy bills. We know how important it is that
people keep their homes warm during the cold winter months,
which is why I am thrilled that we have used our IT to ensure
nearly one million pensioners automatically see their bills
reduced.
The Warm Home Discount Scheme will be extended until at least
March 2022, reducing the pressures on low income and
vulnerable customers worried about being able to pay their energy
bills.
The £350m fund, which supports working-age people as well as
pensioners, helps the government tackle fuel poverty across
Britain by slashing the energy bills of low income households by
£140 per year. Pension Credit provides extra income to those
claiming State Pension, with 977,000 claimants pinpointed for the
fuel discount through a data-matching exercise.
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Currently, more than 1.5 million older people across Great
Britain receive extra financial help through Pension Credit.
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We would encourage anyone who thinks they might be eligible
for Pension Credit to visit gov.uk/pension-credit. It only
takes a few minutes to get an indication of how much they
could get using the online Pension Credit calculator and a
claim can be made online or by calling the free claim line
0800 99 1234.
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Visit the Warm Home Discount
Scheme page for more information.
