Help with heating costs

older lady laughing in house

Many of us worry about rising fuel costs, but not heating our homes properly puts us at risk of cold-related illnesses such as pneumonia. Find out how to give yourself a warmer home without worrying about your fuel bills.

Winter Fuel Payment

Winter Fuel Payment is an annual payment to help with heating costs, made to households with someone over Pension Credit age.

How to claim it

In winter 2013-14, you will be eligible if you are born before 6 January 1952. You will normally receive £200 if you are under 80, and £300 if you are 80 or over. You will usually get less if you live with other people who also qualify.

You only need to claim once. After this, you should get it automatically each year, as long as your circumstances do not change. To ask about your payment or make a claim‚ call the Winter Fuel Payments Helpline on 0845 915 1515.

Cold Weather Payment

Cold Weather Payments are made to eligible people when the weather is very cold. You can get an additional £25 a week when the average temperature has been‚ or is expected to be‚ 0°C or below for seven days in a row.

How to claim it

You will automatically receive a Cold Weather Payment, if you get Pension Credit or certain other means-tested benefits.

Useful downloads

opens link in new window Download the guide Winter wrapped up (PDF 793 KB)

opens link in new window Download the guide More money in your pocket: a guide to claiming benefits for people over pension age (PDF 3 MB)

opens link in new window Download the guide Claiming benefits: a guide for people of working age (PDF 1 MB)

opens link in new window Download the factsheet Help with heating costs factsheet (PDF 205 KB)

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Poverty in retirement

Ending fuel poverty

Email your MP to ask them to support mandatory social tariffs. Email your friends and family and ask them to join our campaign against fuel poverty.

Your Age UK

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Age UK Advice:
0800 169 6565

Useful information to download

  • A guide about benefits for people over pension age, including Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments.
  • A guide about benefits for people of working age, including Cold Weather Payments.
  • An guide that covers energy-saving tips.
  • Takes you through the issues associated with switching energy supplier.
  • A factsheet that includes information on Winter Fuel Payments.
    View all downloadsHelp with downloads

    Downloads

    What is a download?

    A download is a document (like a research report, a leaflet, or an application form) that can be transferred from our website to your computer. You can download a file, view it on your screen, print it, or save it to your computer.

    What is a PDF?

    PDF stands for ‘portable document format’.

    Most downloads on this website are PDFs. We use this format to ensure that the document looks the same on everyone’s computer (website pages, by contrast, appear differently depending on how people have set their computer up).

    How do I download a PDF?

    Computers use a program called Adobe Acrobat Reader to download PDFs. If you try clicking on a link to download a PDF and it doesn’t work, you will need to install Adobe Acrobat Reader onto your computer.

    How do I install Adobe Acrobat Reader?

    The process is quite straightforward and is free.

    1. Go to opens link in new window opens link in new window http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/
    2. Click ‘Download’.
    3. Wait for the window to offer you the option to ‘Run’, then choose this option.
    4. Click ‘Next’.
    5. Click ‘Install’
    6. Wait for the window to offer you the option to ‘Finish’, then choose this option.

    How do I change a download?

    PDFs cannot be changed. If you need to be able to type into a downloaded document (for example, if we are offering a letter template that you need to put your name on) we will provide it as a Microsoft Word document rather than a PDF. You can then download it, type into it and save it to your computer.

    How do I print or save a download?

    Downloads will open on your computer in a new browser window.

    Inside this window (below all your web browser menus), there will be a toolbar with options for you to print or save the document.

    Close the browser window to return to the Age UK website.

    Can my screen reader read PDF downloads?

    We have made every effort to make our PDFs accessible to screen readers. Here is an overview of your accessibility options available in Acrobat Reader. Please ensure that you have downloaded the latest version of Acrobat Reader from the Adobe Reader website to ensure that they are included in your version of the programme.

    You can use Adobe Reader to read a PDF out loud with the following shortcut keys:

    • Read the document: Shift +Ctrl+Y
    • Read the open page only: Shift +Ctrl+V
    • Read to the end of the document: Shift+Ctrl+B
    • Pause: Shift+Ctrl+C
    • Stop Shift+Ctrl+E

    You can also convert a PDF into a web page by following these steps:

    • Copy the URL (web address) of the document (right-click on the link and select ‘Save target as’ or ‘Copy link’).
    • Open the Adobe online conversion tool in your browser and paste the URL into the URL box.
    • Tick the HTML box on the Format option and click ‘Convert’.

    You can convert a PDF document into a text file for use with other software and hardware such as Braille printers by opening the PDF and choosing ‘Save as text’ from the File menu.

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