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Household Fuel Payments to be made - Ritchie

Friday, 3 April 2009

The Department for Social Development (DSD) will make Household Fuel Payments week commencing 6 April 2009.

Making the announcement the Minister for Social Development, Margaret Ritchie, MLA, said: "I welcome that after all our work through 2008, I am able to announce the Household Fuel Payment of £150 which will be paid to households before Easter. In total £22.5million will be paid to 150,000 low income families and the elderly and will go some way to meeting energy costs, which still remain very high."

The payment of £150 will be made to those in receipt of Pension Credit, (excluding those in a nursing home) and those receiving Income Support with housing benefit or housing loan, during the qualifying period. This follows the report of the Minister's Fuel Poverty Task Force and subsequent government decision to help vulnerable people meet fuel costs.

Minister Ritchie added: "Payments will be made through the benefits system and eligible households will receive the payment through their bank account, post office card account or by cheque. I know it will be of benefit to many households facing fuel poverty and economic hardship this year."

Notes to Editors:

  1. On 17 February 2009 DSD was designated to deliver the Household Fuel Payment under the Financial Assistance Act 2009.
  2. The Household Fuel Payment Scheme will make a £150 payment to approximately 150,000 households. All 84,000 Pension Credit claimants (excluding those in Nursing Homes) and approximately 64,000 Income Support claimants who are also in receipt of Housing Benefit or Housing Loan will be eligible.
  3. There will be one payment per household and people will be paid directly without having to claim. To qualify, a member of the household must have been in receipt of one of these benefits between 15 December 2008 and 21 December 2008. This was the week when the scheme was first announced in the Assembly.
  4. The payments are been made in conjunction with counterparts in Department for Work and Pensions and will be the first time the benefit system has been used to make a non-benefit payment.
  5. For further news media information contact the DSD Press Office tel. 028 9082 9468 or mobile 07920 187938. Out-of-office hours the Executive Information Service Duty Press Officer on 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned