P564ORACLE 564 Mon24 Feb C4 1704:01
1/6
Help with your
heating
In last winter's cold snap 16,000 more
people died than in the previous mild
winter. With the coldest part of the
year upon us, what help is available to
pensioners facing chilling fuel bills,
asks Sue Gorska?
If you get Supplementary Pension you
may be able to get either weekly
additions or single lump sum payments
to help with heating costs. For example
you can get an addition of £2.20 for
accommodation if you're a householder
whose home is difficult to heat because
the rooms are draughty or damp.
more follows >
Your Money ...560 Tax Rates ...565
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P564ORACLE 564 Mon24 Feb C4 1721:01
2/6
Help with your
heating
If you're on supplementary pension and
you or your partner need extra warmth
because of ill health or restricted
mobility, you may be able to get an
extra £2.20. If you or your partner
suffers from a serious illness or is
normally housebound, you can get £5.45.
If you own or rent your own home and
you, or your partner are aged 65 or
more you qualify for an addition of
£2.20. For 85 year-olds or over, a
higher rate of £5.45 applies.
more follows >
Your Money ...560 Tax Rates ...565
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P564ORACLE 564 Mon24 Feb C4 1702:07
3/6
Help with your
heating
Anyone who is eligible for or receiving
supplementary benefit can sometimes
get one-off, lump sum payments when
faced with hardship: help with, say,
installing a pre-payment gas or
electricity meter and with repairs to a
heating appliance (such as an electric
fire).
If your home is draughty, but might be
improved by fitting draught excluders
or plastic sheet 'douale glazing' you
can get a payment for the cost of the
materials. The cost of a hot water
cylinder jacket may also be paid.
more follows >
Your Money ...560 Tax Rates ...565
P564ORACLE 564 Mon24 Feb C4 1701:21
4/6
Help with your
heating
You may be able to get a grant from
your local council to cover some of the
cost of loft insulation. This will be
90% of the cost of materials and work
up to maximum of £95 if you're over
retirement age. To qualify for the
grant you must have no insulation or
insulation less than 30mm thick and you
must agree to insulate your loft and
lag the hot and cold water tanks.
Get an application form from your local
council, but don't start work until you
get permission to go ahead or you could
lose your eligibility for the grant.
more follows >
Your Money ...560 Tax Rates ...565
P564ORACLE 564 Mon24 Feb C4 1702:11
5/6
Help with your
heating
Insulation and draught-proofing aren't
the only ways to cut heating bills.
■ don't use the room thermostat as
a switch
■ have your boiler service regularly
■ put kitchen foil ─ shiny side out
onto outside walls behind radiators
■ don't have curtains in front of
radiators
■ fit small shelves above radiators
to deflect warm air into the room.
more follows >
Your Money ...560 Tax Rates ...565
P564ORACLE 564 Mon24 Feb C4 1718:01
6/6
Help with your
heating
This winter Age Concern is worried that
pensioners who pay their fuel bills as
they go (eg. by slot meter) won't get
extra help because they'll have to
prove the money would otherwise have
been spent on items like food.
'Make sure you claim all the cash help
you can from social security' says Age
Concern. To help pensioners with this,
they've published a new fact sheet
giving detailed information on all the
benefits. It's available free (with SAE
from Information & Policy Department,
60 Pitcairn Road, Mitcham, Surrey CR4.
more follows >
Your Money ...560 Tax Rates ...565
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