NEARLY one million people claiming the state pension will get hundreds of pounds worth of energy bill help this winter on top of the Winter Fuel Payment.
The Warm Home Discount is a one-off £150 discount on your electricity bill.
You do not get the money paid into your account, but instead, your energy supplier takes the sum off your bill.
To qualify for the support you usually need to be on a low income or claim certain benefits.
The cash boost is a lifeline for many elderly people as it helps ease the cost of high energy bills during the winter months.
Figures from the Department of Work and Pensions showed that 945,000 households across the UK were able to get the support last year because they claimed Pension Credit.
The benefit tops up your State Pension if you are on a low income and also gives you access to a number of freebies.
This includes the £300 Winter Fuel Payment, which became means-tested earlier this year.
To apply for Pension Credit you must have reached the State Pension age and no longer be in work.
Your weekly income must be below £218.15 if you are single or £332.95 if you are married or living with a partner.
It is thought over 800,000 pensioners could be eligible for the support but do not claim.
Households looking to claim the support can do so over the phone or via the post.
If you want to apply online you can visit, https://apply-for-pension-credit.service.gov.uk/apply-citizen-ui/start.
What’s more, if households apply for Pension Credit by December 21 they still have a chance to get the Winter Fuel Payment.
That is because claims for Pension Credit can be backdated for up to three months.
Applying by this date means your claim meets the qualifying week of September 16-22.
It’s important to remember that you will have to request that your claim is backdated for three months when you apply.
If you don’t tick the box asking to have it backdated, then it won’t happen automatically.
If you live with a partner and you are both of State Pension age then your weekly income must fall below around £350.
However, if your income is slightly higher, you might still be eligible for Pension Credit if you have a disability, you care for someone, you have savings or you have housing costs.
You could get an extra £81.50 a week if you have a disability or claim any of the following:
You could get the “savings credit” part of pension credit if both of the following apply:
This part of Pension Credit is worth £17.01 for single people or £19.04 for couples.
Pension Credit opens the door to other support, including housing benefits, cost of living payments, council tax reductions and the Winter Fuel Payment.
Claims for Pension Credit also open doors to a number of freebies and discounts.
For example, Pension Credit claimants over 75 qualify for a free TV licence worth up to £169.50 a year.
For those who are unsure if they can get access to the help, you can use the government’s Pension Credit Calculator.
This is available on the Gov.uk website and you have to put in your personal details to see if you qualify or not.
Before you begin the process you will need details of your earnings, benefits, pensions, savings and investments.
If you have a partner you must put in their details as well.
Applications for pension credit can also be made by ringing the pension credit claim line on 0800 99 1234.
You can get a friend or family member to ring for you, but you’ll need to be with them when they do.
You’ll need the following information about you and your partner if you have one:
If you claim after you reach pension age, you can backdate for up to three months.
SWITCHING energy providers can sound like a hassle - but fortunately it's pretty straight forward to change supplier - and save lots of cash.
Shop around – If you’re on an SVT deal you are likely throwing away up to £250 a year. Use a comparion site such as MoneySuperMarket.com, uSwitch or EnergyHelpline.com to see what deals are available to you.
The cheapest deals are usually found online and are fixed deals – meaning you’ll pay a fixed amount usually for 12 months.
Switch – When you’ve found one, all you have to do is contact the new supplier.
It helps to have the following information – which you can find on your bill – to hand to give the new supplier.
It will then notify your current supplier and begin the switch.
It should take no longer than three weeks to complete the switch and your supply won’t be interrupted in that time.
