Around 400,000 low-income households in Wales will be able to claim in September for a £200 payment towards their winter energy bills.
In the last round of fuel payments, householders who received universal credit, legacy means-tested benefits and working tax credits were able to make a claim.
Now the Welsh Government’s Fuel Support Scheme has been expanded so people who claim one of the following payments will now also be eligible:
- Child tax credits
- Pension credits
- Disability benefits
- Carers allowance
- Contributory benefits
- The Council Tax Reduction Scheme to pay their council tax bill
The government said the £90m investment will make an extra 200,000 households eligible for the payment
When can you make a claim for the Fuel Support Scheme?
The scheme will open for applications on 26 September 2022 and the first payments are expected to be made in October 2022.
The extended Fuel Support Scheme includes the £4m announced last month for the fuel voucher scheme to support those on prepayment meters and households not connected to mains gas.
Social Justice Minister Jane Hutt said: “We are targeting the Fuel Support Scheme at low-income households and extending the number of those eligible, as we understand how the winter months can be the hardest of the year and families face the difficult choice of heating or eating.
“We are committed to supporting the most vulnerable and doing everything we can to ensure they can get through this difficult moment.”
Claire Morgan, Director of Carers Wales, said: “Carers Wales welcomes this announcement as we had asked for the eligibility criteria to be extended to include Carers Allowance and other legacy and contributory benefits to support the maximum number of unpaid carers.
“Our research shows that carers were already struggling to manage financially and this has been intensified by the impact of the cost of living crisis.
“Carers are raising significant concerns about how they will cope this winter, so all that can be done to help alleviate the pressure is much appreciated.”
Photo credit
Photo by Naveen Kumar on Unsplash
