Communities Minister announces one-off fuel support payment of £100 for pensioners
Date published:
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has announced his plan for the allocation of £17 million from the Executive to mitigate the impact of changes to the Winter Fuel Payment (WFP).
The funds, allocated following the October monitoring fund, will be used to provide a one-off fuel support payment of £100 to pensioners no longer eligible for WFP.
An estimated 250,000 pensioners, in approximately 170,000 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 will be that previously used for WFPs and payments will be issued before the end of March 2025.
Minister Lyons said:
“Since the unwelcome and unexpected decision by the UK government to limit Winter Fuel Payments to those in receipt of Pension Credit and other means tested benefits, I have sought to secure fuel support for affected pensioners so I welcome the £17million allocation.
“My Department will use these funds to provide a one-off £100 payment to pensioners no longer eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment.
“Having previously tasked my officials with readying the relevant legislation in the event of a funding allocation, I expect the payment to be made automatically before the end of March 2025.”
The eligibility criteria for the one-off fuel support payment will be the same applied to the Winter Fuel Payment before the changes announced by the UK government. This means 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. There will be one payment for pensioner household affected by the Winter Fuel Payment changes. No application is required and payments will be made by the same method as Winter Fuel Payments.
Minister Lyons continued:
“Whilst I hope this payment will go some way to supporting those pensioners affected by the changes to WFPs, I recognise that it will not fully mitigate its impact so I am encouraging everyone to check their benefit entitlement.
“Just last week, I announced an uptake in additional benefits of £62million in 2023/24 through my Department’s Make the Call service, £21.3million of which went to pensioners.
“This free and confidential service puts people in touch with support to which they may be entitled but have not been claiming. Pension Credit in particular, can provide access to a range of other supports and benefits which can be a lifeline for our older generations.
“My Department will continue its Pension Credit promotional activities with applications having increased by 56 per cent during August to October from the corresponding period last year.
“A Pension Credit claim can be made online, by telephone or post, and people can use the Pension Credit calculator online to check their potential entitlement.
“I want to ensure that all available support and entitlements go directly to those who most need them so would encourage everyone to ‘make the call’.”
Notes to editors:
- The fuel support payment will be made automatically to pensioners through the channel by which they normally receive their benefits. No application is necessary.
- To be eligible for the one-off payment for winter 2024/25 customers must be over 66 in the qualifying week (Monday 16 September to Sunday 22 September 2024) and not be eligible to receive a Winter Fuel Payment
- Approx. 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.
- To contact the Department’s 'Make the Call' service, phone 0800 232 1271; text ADVICE to 079 8440 5248; or email.
- A claim for Pension Credit can be made online or by telephoning the Northern Ireland Pension Centre’s Pension Credit Application Line on 0808 100 6165 (open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm), or by completing an application form and returning to: Northern Ireland Pension Centre, Mail Opening Unit, PO Box 42, Limavady, BT49 4AN.
- The Pension Credit online calculator can be accessed.
- For media enquiries please contact the Department for Communities Press Office via email.
- Follow the Department on Twitter @CommunitiesNI
- Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.