Thousands of households who missed out on a Winter Fuel Payment can get a free £175. The Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) has provided local authorities across England with funding to support households most in need.
The Household Support Fund will help households most vulnerable to significant rise in the cost of living. The funding provided to the local authority will cover the period of 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2025. In Tower Hamlets this is available through the Resident Support Scheme, which is open to applications from all Tower Hamlets residents regardless of benefit status.
The local authority states: “The Resident Support Scheme will help residents who are at risk of being in crisis or in need of immediate help with no source of financial support available to them. The Resident Support Scheme can help with short-term living costs like credit, food and gas/electric prepayment metres. It can also help in some circumstances with white goods and furniture.
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“The scheme is open to all Tower Hamlets residents – you do not need to be on benefits to apply.” The council is offering a £175 cash payment to pensioners it has assessed as in need to help with winter pressures.
The government said it was “committed to supporting pensioners” and the £200-£300 winter fuel payment would be targeted to those most in need who are on pension credit. Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman said: “I’ve spoken with many elderly residents who are afraid of being forced to endure life-threateningly low temperatures this winter, or having to make the impossible choice between heating and eating because their access to the winter fuel allowance has been withdrawn.”
He added that the council had “stepped in to fill the void left by these cuts”. Carol, from Tower Hamlets, said the money would make a great difference. “For the last few years we’ve been getting the £300, and this year we’re getting nothing,” she said.