People in Wales are being advised they can apply for £200 to help towards their fuel bills. The Welsh Government has launched its fuel support scheme today which offers eligible households cash to help them pay their gas and electric bills this winter.
Millions of people are expected to struggle to pay their bills in the coming months with costs of energy soaring. Prime Minister Liz Truss recently announced a new energy price guarantee from October 1 which will see the typical household energy bill capped at £2,500 - or around £200 a month - for the next two years in a bid to ease the cost crisis.
While it will help struggling consumers as the guarantee is lower than the previously announced price cap for October, which was £3,549, energy bills this winter will still be around 95% higher than they were last winter, and the cost of the scheme is estimated to cost billions of pounds.
Read more: Martin Lewis explains what Liz Truss' plans to tackle energy bills mean for you
Both Westminster and the Welsh Government are offering a number of cost of living support payments to low-income households to help with the crisis, including the Welsh Government's fuel support scheme which you can apply for from today. Here is everything you need to know including what the scheme is, how much you get and how to apply.
What is the fuel support scheme?
The Welsh Government's fuel support scheme is aimed at reducing the impact of the rising cost of energy and the cost-of-living crisis by helping low-income households. Back in July the Welsh Government announced it was extending the scheme meaning 400,000 households in Wales are set to get the payment to help keep their homes warm this winter.
What will I get and how do I know if I'm eligible?
Back in February it was announced that the fuel support scheme payment would rise from £100 to £200 following concerns over the impact of soaring costs on households. Previously around 166,000 households on universal credit, legacy means-tested benefits and working tax credits benefited from the payment. The scheme will be open to households where an applicant or their partner is in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits at any time between September 1, 2022 and January 31, 2023:
- Income support
- Income based jobseeker's allowance
- Employment ad support allowance
- Universal credit
- Working tax credits
- Child tax credits
- Pension credit
- Personal independence payment (PIP)
- Disability living allowance (DLA)
- Attendance allowance
- Carers allowance
- Contributory benefits
- Council tax reduction scheme (CTRS)
- Armed Forces independence payment
- Constant attendance allowance
- War pension mobility supplement
Receipt of carers allowance includes those people who are being paid it and people who have claimed it but due to the overlapping benefit rules do not receive it as a cash benefit. One payment will be available to all eligible households however they pay for their fuel, and can be claimed regardless of whether they are using on or off-grid fuel.
How do I apply?
Applications can be made to your local authority via their website and the scheme is now open as of Monday, September 26. To find your local authority click here. Most councils have a dedicated 'fuel support scheme' page on their website which allows you to apply for the payment online. While it hasn't been confirmed exactly when the money will be given, eligible households were most recently given between December last year and February this year to apply for the payment, and it is likely the money will be distributed in the coming months.
This payment is separate from the £400 off energy bills being given through energy companies for six months. You can read more about that here. It is also different to the winter fuel paymen t for those on state pension and the cold weather payment which you can read more about that here. You can read about all the financial support that is available between now and Christmas if you live in Wales here.
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