Communities minister has announced the payment
date for the £100 fuel support payment for pensioner households.
The payment, which will be made to those who previously received
the Winter Fuel Payment but are now no longer eligible, will
start arriving with individuals from Friday 21 March.
The one-off payment has been made possible through £17million of
Executive funding secured by Minister Lyons after changes by the
Labour Government to Winter Fuel Payment eligibility.
The payment will be paid automatically into individual's accounts
from 21 March with no need for application.
Minister Lyons said: “Following the unexpected and
unwelcome news last July that 180,000 pensioner households in
Northern Ireland would no longer be eligible for the Winter Fuel
Payment, I moved to secure Executive funding to mitigate the
impact of the decision.
“Having tasked my officials to prepare the legislative
and operational groundwork to enable this payment to be made as
quickly as possible, I can announce that the money will be in
people's accounts ahead of the expected end-of-March date and
will begin arriving from Friday 21 March.
“Whilst I realise the payment will not fully cover the
impact of changes to the Winter Fuel Payment, I hope it will go
some way to supporting those affected.”
An estimated 250,000 pensioners, in approximately 180,000
households, who were set to lose out after the UK government's
decision to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment, will receive the
automatic payment. Eligibility criteria and payment channels will
be those previously used for WFPs. Two qualifying individuals in
the same pensioner household will each receive £50.
Eligibility criteria for care home residents will also apply.
Further information on the Pension Age Fuel Support Payment is
available on the nidirect website at www.nidirect.gov.uk/pensionagefuelsupportpayment.
Minister Lyons added: “As Minister for Communities I
have stated my determination to ensure that those who are most in
need are supported. The Pension Age Fuel Support payment is
testament to that commitment.
“Whilst the budgetary situation is challenging for all, I
will take whatever actions possible to direct resources to where
they are most needed.
“I would also encourage people to avail of my
Department's Make the Call service which can put people in touch
with benefits and supports to which they are entitled but not
receiving. Pension Credit in particular can provide access to a
range of supports.
“This is especially important to our older generations so
I would encourage everyone to ‘make the call'.”
Pensioners must have been born before 23 September 1958 in the
qualifying week (Monday 16 September to Sunday 22 September 2024)
to be eligible for the one-off £100 payment.
If there are more than two eligible claimants in the same
household, they will each receive a £50 payment.
Notes to editors
- Approximately 58,000 pensioners will remain eligible for
WFP totalling approx. £14.5million in 2024/25. Eligibility for
WFPs is now restricted to those over 66 in receipt of Pension
Credit and other means-tested benefits.
