Energy bill help announced in West Devon

Pensioners and low-income households to benefit

Almost 400 low income residents in West Devon, including those just over the threshold for pension credit, will be getting direct payments to help with their energy bills this winter.

Single pensioners with a weekly income up to £20 above the threshold for pension credit and couples with an income of up to £30 over will all get £200.

The same amount will be given to the 13 single households receiving council tax reduction and not on state benefit and people leaving in non traditional construction homes that are difficult or expensive to heat.

Devon County Council care leavers living in the borough will get financial assistance of £500 each.

The recommendations for who will receive money administered by West Devon Borough Council from the latest tranche of the government’s household support fund (HSF) were accepted by members of the council’s hub committee.

West Devon has used data to identify the estimated 395 households expected to be suffering financial hardship who will be supported with direct payments totalling £82,000.

The remaining £69,000 of the fund allocated to West Devon of £151,000 will be for open applications.

This is the sixth time the government has run the HSF for local authorities to help residents with the cost of living. The money is handed out by Devon County Council based on universal credit figures in each area.

Funding is intended to support households who would otherwise struggle to buy food, pay essential utility bills or meet other essential living costs.

The council has identified 99 properties with EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) ratings of F or G or are single glazed or where the main fuel is oil or storage heaters and 270 pensioners on low incomes who will no longer receive the winter fuel payment because they are over the threshold for pension credit by as little as 50p.

The government has scrapped the universal winter fuel payment to help plug what it calls the “black hole” in the country’s finance. It’s claimed that the move could push millions of pensioners into poverty.

“These households don’t have large amounts of money coming in each week and will feel the impact of losing the additional £200 towards their energy bills,” said the council.

With a “moral imperative to do its best for looked after children and care leavers” the authority will provide 11 support payments totalling £5,500 to these individuals.

Cllr Jane Elliot (Green, Chagford), lead member for community health and wellbeing, said the fund was “modest” but would hopefully ease the burden for some people.

The government had indicated the HSF would continue for another 12 months, she said

Applications will be open for the remaining cash once the direct payments have been made and received.

For more information go to the council’s website www.westdevon.gov.uk and type in Household Support Fund.