Lowest income pensioners get to one-off support payment after Central Bedfordshire Council vote
Some of the pensioners on the lowest incomes will be given a £200 payment towards their household bills after a vote by Central Bedfordshire councillors.
At the full council meeting last night (Thursday), Central Bedfordshire Council voted to give around 2,200 pensioners a one-off payment from £440,000 of funding from the Household Support Fund.
This comes after these households had their Winter Fuel Payment withdrawn due to a change in government policy.
The Household Support Fund is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions and was extended for an extra six months to March 2025.
Cllr Adam Zerny, leader of Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “As councillors, we appreciate the impact the changes the government has made to Winter Fuel Payments for pensioners has had a real impact on our residents. This motion has been about us coming together as councillors to try and make a real difference. We realise this financial support is essential for some members of our community, particularly for older residents on low and fixed incomes. Without it, many of our pensioners face the prospect of a difficult winter."
Cllr John Baker, Executive Member for Finance, said, “I'm grateful to those councillors who have worked with us to implement the Central Bedfordshire Winter Fuel Allowance award. We're using the Household Support Fund to help to ease the pressure of rising living costs for those who are struggling the most. Pensioner households who qualify for the one-off payment will be contacted directly by the council."
He added: "I looked at how other councils have implemented similar policies, worked with the council's excellent finance team and sensible councillors to produce the policy.”