The Leader of Kent County Council, Roger Gough, has set out how he and the authority plan to use £1m of the authority’s Household Support fund to help some of the county’s most vulnerable people through the next few months.
The government has announced that it will cut winter fuel payments to around 10 million pensioners in the UK, with only those eligible for Pension Credit continuing to get support with winter fuel costs.
With many pensioners in Kent set to miss out on this year’s winter fuel payment, KCC will be using money from the Household Support Fund, issued by the Department of Work and Pensions, to provide targeted support to older people who are struggling financially, but who just miss out on qualifying to receive pension credit and the fuel allowance.
“This support is aimed at those who will experience real pressure throughout the winter and may have to make difficult decisions about energy or food.”
“We think it is really important to ensure that there is support for those people who are going to be really affected by what’s happened with the winter fuel allowance and who are not eligible for Pension Credit," said Roger Gough.
“There are an awful lot of older people in Kent who don’t qualify for pension credit, but are just at that level above it. People for whom this winter could mean real hardship. This support is aimed at those who will experience real pressure throughout the winter and may have to make difficult decisions about energy or food. So the focus will very much be ensuring those older people can be in a much better situation than would otherwise have been the case.”
The support scheme will offer a public and professional referral pathway, allowing Kent residents to apply themselves, or a professional, friend or family member to apply on their behalf. The support will be provided in vouchers for either food or energy, depending on the most pressing need of each person. More details about the new scheme will be announced soon on KCC’s Kent Together page.
Roger Gough also continues to urge everyone who could be entitled to claim Pension Credit payments to make sure they are signed up as soon as possible.
There could be as much as £68 million going unclaimed in Kent, and it’s estimated that a third of those in the county who are eligible are not getting the help they can.
He added: “It’s now more important than ever that pensioners get the support and help that they are entitled to, especially given the Chancellor’s announcement that from now on only older people on pension credit will receive the winter fuel allowance.
“We believe that there are some 18,000 households in Kent that are eligible for Pension Credit and not claiming. So, if there is someone you know who you think could be entitled to this, please support and guide them to find out whether they can apply.”
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In a report this month from the charity Age UK, it’s claimed that four in every five pensioners in the UK struggling with money will see their winter fuel payment cut. The charity estimates that 800,000 pensioners who are aged 80 or over, and who are living in poverty or just above the poverty line, will no longer receive the extra support this winter.
Age UK had been urging The Chancellor to reverse the decision ahead of the budget, but failing that to expand the number of people who would qualify for the payments. They want pensioners who are in receipt of housing benefit, council tax support, personal independence allowance, attendance allowance and carers allowance to qualify for winter help.
Further information
For more information on how to check if you or someone you know can apply for Pension Credit you can check eligibility by visiting Pension Credit calculator - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Kent’s Money Advice Hubs, located across the county, are on hand to offer support and advice on Pension Credit eligibility and applications. The service can be accessed Monday to Friday, between 9 am to 5 pm.
You can find more information and a link to the application process on the Kent County Council website by visiting www.kent.gov.uk/pensioncredit
Details of KCC’s extra support for pensioners who will miss out on the fuel allowance this year will be announced soon on the Kent Together pages of our website.
Digital Kent has also launched a new initiative to help people get online who might not have access to technology nor have the confidence to give it a try. It’s called Get Digital. There are free workshops and Digital Champions on hand to support. Know someone who might benefit? For more information, visit www.kent.gov.uk/getdigital
