£120 power bill cut for poorest pensioners

THE most vulnerable pensioners in Oldham will get a rebate off their fuel bills this winter, Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has announced.

The Warm Home Discount scheme will run from this winter until March, 2015 with an automatic rebate of £120 off power bills for more than 600,000 of the poorest pensioner households. Pensioners or their partners who pay their own bills and are in receipt of Pension Credit Guarantee Credit will receive the rebate. Customers receiving the savings credit element of pension credit will not be eligible this year.

But Mr Huhne said the scheme will be extended and the eligibility criteria will widen each year bringing in those receiving both the Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit elements of Pension Credit. Government expect that around 1.3 million pensioners will receive the rebate in the fourth year.

He said: “None of us should have to save on warmth in a cold winter.

“Some of the most vulnerable and elderly will shiver — and worse — if we do not help.”