Council votes to support over 2,000 pensioners following Winter Fuel Payment Cut
Leighton Buzzard News from Bee Local Magazine
At a Full Council meeting on Thursday (21st November), Central Bedfordshire Council voted to support some of the lowest income pensioner households in Central Bedfordshire with a £200 award, offsetting their household bills.
Around £440,000 of funding from the Household Support Fund will be used to make an award of £200 to around 2,200 pensioners identified by the Council. These households have had their Winter Fuel Payment – a one-off payment given to most people of pension age, providing them with financial assistance during the colder months – withdrawn due to the Government’s recent policy change.
The Household Support Fund is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions and was recently extended for a further six months to March 2025, after being due to end in October 2024. Central Bedfordshire Council received £1,483,073.82 of funding, which it is using to support local residents.
The Council has already used some of the funding to provide supermarket vouchers to children eligible for Free School Meals. During the October Half Term families received a £17.50 voucher for each child eligible for free school meals; in total 7,800 vouchers were distributed. Eligible families will also receive vouchers to cover the Christmas holidays (worth a total of £35, equating to £17.50 per child, per week), and the 2025 February half term (a total of £17.50 per child).
Cllr Adam Zerny, Leader of Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “As councillors, we appreciate the impact the changes the government has made to Winter Fuel Payments for pensioners has had a real impact on our residents. This motion has been about us coming together as councillors to try and make a real difference. We realise this financial support is essential for some members of our community, particularly for older residents on low and fixed incomes. Without it, many of our pensioners face the prospect of a difficult winter.”
Cllr John Baker, Executive Member for Finance said, “I’m grateful to those councillors who have worked with us to implement the Central Bedfordshire Winter Fuel Allowance award. We’re using the Household Support Fund to help to ease the pressure of rising living costs for those who are struggling the most. Pensioner households who qualify for the one-off payment will be contacted directly by the council.”
More information about the Household Support Fund is available at: www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/hsg
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