£1.54m not enough to support Bexley residents most in need
London borough will focus HSF funding on supporting older residents who’ve lost the Winter Fuel Payment but acknowledges widespread demand.
The London Borough of Bexley has been allocated a grant of £1.54m to support residents most in need. The money comes from the government’s household support fund (HSF), provided through the Department for Work and Pensions.
Photo by Simon Guerrier
The council will shortly distribute this money among local groups to maximise its impact. But, ahead of announcing who will get what, the council has said it will give particular focus to older residents affected by the government’s ‘cruel and mean decision’ to remove the Winter Fuel Payment from most pensioners in the area.
Winter Fuel Payment is a tax-free additional benefit provided to qualifying pensioners once a year to help with the additional costs of keeping a home warm during winter. This year, the one-off payment is of either £200 or £300 depending on individual circumstance.
But, as has been widely reported, the new government is cutting back on the numbers of pensioners eligible for the payment. Only those pensioners entitled to pension credit or certain other benefits will now qualify. As a result, across the UK, some 10m pensioners will lose out on the payment. That includes around 34,000 older residents in Bexley, according to the local authority.
While the council aims to use HSF money to meet some of this shortfall, it acknowledges that it won’t be enough – not least because of other demands. This includes provision of free school meals, even in school holidays, housing services and local foodbanks and community pantries.
The council says it will work with voluntary and community partners to distribute the funding and provide a range of support. HSF money will also be shared with a range of organisations working in such areas as adult social care, providing support for unpaid carers and young carers, supporting people affected by domestic abuse, offering debt and benefits advice, and offering warm spaces. The money is also earmarked for an information campaign.
Cllr David Leaf, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources at London Borough of Bexley, says: ‘We know thousands of residents in the borough are preparing to feel the pinch in the next few months, following the government’s cruel and mean decision to scrap the Winter Fuel Payment. While we are not able to cover the cost for everyone affected, we are looking to provide support to those who are most in need. The HSF funds will be available to those residents in the same way as before, via our partners. Together we will make sure that the people who need it most receive our support.’
On the decision to curtail the Winter Fuel Payment, a government spokesperson said: ‘Our focus is on ensuring that those who should be claiming this support are receiving it alongside the wider support for vulnerable households, including the warm homes discount, worth £150, and household support fund to help people with the cost of living and energy bills.
‘Over a million pensioners will continue to receive the winter fuel payment and, through our commitment to protect the triple lock, those on the full new state pension will receive an extra £400 – twice the average winter fuel payment.’
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