Pensioners missing out on Winter Fuel Payment could be eligible for automatic £100 cash boost

Some retirees may be entitled to cash from the Household Support Fund (HSF), even if they do not meet the new Pension Credit eligibility threshold for Winter Fuel Payments

Pensioners in Nottinghamshire missing out on Winter Fuel Payments could be eligible for a £100 cash boost that will soon be automatically given to thousands of people. Nottinghamshire County Council has said that some retirees may be entitled to cash from the Household Support Fund (HSF), even if they do not quite meet the new Pension Credit eligibility threshold for Winter Fuel Payments.

The authority explained it was working with district and borough councils in the county to help residents who are struggling to make ends meet through phase six of the Government’s £5.6 million HSF. The scheme, which runs between October 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, will pay those eligible through a one-off payment worth £100 on average to around 32,000 households.

Families with children eligible for Free School Meals or equivalent, those in receipt of Pension Credit, as well as people identified by social workers as in need of financial support will all be eligible. Eligible households will be contacted directly by the council during November onwards so no action needs to be taken, according to Nottinghamshire County Council.

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Councillor Scott Carlton, the council’s cabinet member for communities and public health, said: “The Government has decided to stop winter fuel payments for all pensioners apart from those entitled to Pension Credits. If you are a pensioner, or if you know someone who you think may be missing out on Pension Credits, visit the Department for Work and Pensions website for Pension Credit eligibility details.

“Some pensioners who do not quite meet the Pension Credit eligibility threshold may still qualify for Household Support Funding, and our officers will work closely with colleagues from the borough and district councils and various professional bodies to identify those individuals and families."

The HSF can also be used to buy residents new appliances, with more than 700 households being awarded white goods worth a total of £300,000 during the previous phase of the scheme. Mr Carlton added: "To help even more people who can’t afford basic white goods such as a working fridge or a cooker, this time we have increased the allocation to £400,000 to be spent on goods which will help improve the health and well-being of residents who are most in need, as identified by front-line workers such as social workers and Citizens Advice staff.”

Citizens Advice services across Nottinghamshire have continued to help people with advice and support to make HSF applications during the last round of fund. Since April it has supported 711 people to make 868 applications to the scheme and many more to access additional advice and support.

Donna Cumberlidge, chief officer at Citizen Advice Nottingham & district, said: "As local Citizens Advice charities, supporting local people, we welcome the extension of the Household Support Fund and the support from Nottinghamshire County Council. We know over the winter more people will continue to need our vital support and this extension will enable us to continue this work across the whole county.

"The nature of our service means that we are able to identify other means of support for our clients and in addition to the HSF fund we are also able to secure additional income and refer to our other services such as debt and housing. We are pleased to say we were able to secure £8.9 million of additional income for our clients between April and September this year.”