30-03-2025
Midland households issued £300 fuel payments from the DWP
The winter period is a costly time for many households across the country with energy bills going up.
It generally costs more to use energy during winter.
And people typically use more energy to keep warm during the colder months.
READ MORE: State pensioners born before 1953 to miss out on £7,561 from next month
Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp, click the link to join
But it forces households to tighten their purse strings to be able to afford basic necessities.
As a result, people might struggle more financially.
However help is available from local authorities.
Councils have been issued funding from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to support residents with the cost of living.
Each local authority has come up with its own schemes to help households.
Some have issued support in the form of cost of living payments.
While others have made available fuel payments.
Among those include Worcestershire County Council.
Applicants can receive between £300 and £500 payments, depending on the make up of households.
The council said: "Households with one adult or a couple of pensionable age can receive up to £300.
"Households with adults only, aged between 18 and 66, can receive up to £300.
"Households with children under the age of 18, or young adults up to the age of 21 in full time education, can receive up to £500."
However in order to receive the benefits, applicants must meet the council's eligibility criteria.
Applicants must:
Have a household income of £31,000 or less a year, including non-means tested benefits
Or, receive a means-tested benefit
Have no household savings, although pensioners can have £5,000 in savings
Receive one or more of these benefits: Attendance Allowance, Carers Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Health Allowance
Engage with support services
To see the full criteria list, including which support services are listed, visit the website of Act on Energy, which is managing the scheme on behalf of the council.
Explaining how the payments are issued, the council said: "Depending on the billing method for your energy account, energy payments will either be made by direct bank transfer to your energy supplier for your energy account, via an online portal for your energy supplier to credit your energy account or via Post Office vouchers for pre-payment to-ups."
