Almost £8 million in energy bill support paid to households this winter

Almost £8 million has been issued to households for support with energy bills this winter. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) estimates that 300,000 payments were made between November until the end of March – with over £2 million of this going to pensioners in receipt of Pension Credit. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Around 80 per cent of the winter’s payments – approximately 245,000 – were triggered in December. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Cold Weather Payments were targeted at people in England and Wales who are in receipt of eligible benefits with a pension element or disability component, or where there is a child under five in the household. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The DWP’s Cold Weather Payments are an automatic bank top-up of £25. Payment is triggered for eligible households when the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below for seven consecutive days at the weather station linked to an eligible person’s postcode. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Minister for Pensions Laura Trott said: “Cold Weather Payments provide vital support to help people through cold snaps each Winter. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“While those colder months are now thankfully behind us, there will be no let-up in our extensive support for households across the country. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“This government is committed to helping the most vulnerable in our society. We’re delivering the biggest State Pension increase in history and boosting benefits by over 10 percent, while our Energy Price Guarantee will continue to hold down people’s energy bills.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said: “We were clear that we would help people in Wales through these difficult times and we continue to do so, with millions paid to households across the country to help them through the winter months. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“This is just one part of a package of measures designed to support those who need it most. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“In the next few weeks over 430,000 people in Wales will be receiving £301 directly from the UK Government to help with the cost of living and in the longer term we are committed to bringing down inflation to ease the burden for everyone in Wales.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Between 25 April and 17 May, millions of UK households will receive £301 directly from the DWP. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

This is the first of three payments totalling up to £900 for those eligible and on means-tested benefits, such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit, in 2023/24. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It follows the £650 Cost of Living Payment made to over eight million people in 2022. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

There will also be further payments worth £150 for eligible disabled people and £300 for pensioners due later this year, meaning the most vulnerable can receive up to £1,350 in direct payments. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​