Fewer UK households at the moment are eligible for the federal government’s £200-300 Winter Gasoline Cost this yr. And we all know many purchasers relied on this assist.
That’s why we’re stepping as much as assist carry this help again to prospects who want it most: providing our personal £50, £100 and £200 ‘Winter Gasoline Funds’ to 1000’s of Octopus prospects who’ll not be eligible with the latest adjustments.
What’s the Winter Gasoline Cost and what’s altering?
The Winter Gasoline Cost is a yearly fee (of both £200 or £300) to assist pension-age households cowl their payments within the winter.
Up till not too long ago, the fee went to all UK households with somebody over state pension age. Beginning this winter, it’ll solely go to households who additionally obtain Pension Credit score or one other one in all these advantages.
This implies the variety of households who’ll obtain the fee will go from round 11 million to simply over 1 million. Means-testing the fee helps be sure that help goes to prospects who want it most – a few of the lowest-income households. However no focusing on is ideal and we all know it may depart some pensioners who’re simply above the affordability line with extra prices to cowl.
What are we doing?
We’re extending our £30m Octopus Help fund in order that 1000’s of consumers lacking out on the Winter Gasoline Cost and combating payments can now declare discretionary credit of £50, £100 and £200 from the fund.
How do I apply for assist by Octopus Help?
We’ll ask you to share some details about your well being, any vulnerabilities, earnings and month-to-month prices so we are able to work out one of the best methods we may also help you. Making use of is fast and simple, and you are able to do it on-line, over the telephone, or by mail.
We’ll additionally test should you’re entitled to some other authorities help or advantages (which for some prospects, add as much as £10,000 a yr) and may also help you apply. Extra on that under.
How does our Octopus Help fund assist individuals?
We created the fund to help prospects combating payments in the price of residing disaster.
In three years, we’ve added £30 million in funding and helped 80,000 prospects by bespoke help together with fee breaks, standing cost holidays and clearing vitality invoice debt. In addition to different initiatives, like:
- Electrical blankets: Free electrical blankets for purchasers, leading to a median winter saving of £150 per family, with 60,000 distributed to this point.
- Thermal imaging cameras: Loaning thermal imaging cameras to assist prospects in leaky properties spot and repair draughts so save on heating payments
- Power Helpers: Pleasant specialists visited over 300,000 prospects to provide tailor-made in-person energy-saving recommendation and account assist
- Saving Classes: Helps prospects get monetary savings through the use of much less vitality throughout peak intervals, with over 2 million members and £10 million in financial savings paid out to this point.
General, we have spent properly over £150 million to help prospects for the reason that starting of the disaster, between serving to probably the most susceptible by the Help fund and absorbing a few of the highest vitality prices off everybody’s payments.
Learn extra about this work and the way we have fought for fairer costs for all.
Serving to prospects entry essential authorities help
850,000 UK prospects haven’t claimed pension credit score but – lacking out on help of £2,677 a yr on common. Our Octopus Help utility will inform you should you’re eligible for any help and we may also help prospects apply for these.
Our workforce are working with 60+ native authorities to ensure prospects of their communities know methods to entry help (from Octopus Help and authorities schemes like pension credit score) to cowl their payments and hold heat.
