Dear pensioners worried about winter fuel payment cuts: You are not alone this winter

As we head into winter the forecast is for more people to find themselves in financial hardship struggling with their bills. While causes vary, many are very worried about the colder months ahead. By some metrics, the number of fuel-poor households in Britain has more than doubled in the last four years, now standing at almost nine million, and the government’s winter fuel payments changes are estimated to impact around 10 million pensioners. It is against this backdrop that we are asking people to prepare for the colder months when energy consumption increases to keep households healthy and warm.

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As a trust established to help alleviate the detrimental impact of poverty, we are encouraging pensioners all this week with the support of their family, friends or carers to check if they are eligible for pension credit during Pension Credit Week of Action. The government estimates as many as 880,000 pensioners are missing out on pension credits that could be worth on average £3,900 per year, so it really is worth checking for eligibility and applying to ensure you access the support you are entitled to.

We understand that these remain worrying times for people, however many groups are more vulnerable to the cold – those with health conditions and older people are at heightened risk – and we are particularly keen to encourage these groups to seek help.

The challenge we and others who provide support face is that contacting and supporting pensioners can be challenging as many are digitally vulnerable or excluded, limiting their access to advice and support. Digital isolation is one of the many reasons why the trust focuses on supporting people in energy debt in their communities. To help ensure that people can talk to a person local to them, the trust funds 41 money and energy debt advice services across England, Scotland and Wales. These are predominantly in areas of high need or aimed at supporting people who are most at risk e.g. those with disabilities, and we are an advocate for in person support that focuses on the individual.

Through funding these vital money and energy advice services the trust helped more than 24,000 people last year. These essential advice services in the heart of communities across the country aid people in accessing free and impartial advice on things such as budget planning, benefits and income maximisation checks, energy efficiency measures and generalist subjects such as housing, employment and mental health support.

We understand it’s vital to have advice available locally which is why with the support of the Post Office and British Gas we are launching the fourth round of the Post Office Pop-Ups. This initiative makes it easier for digitally isolated groups like pensioners to access money and energy advice through outreach events in local community settings. The activity is running in seven new areas from November to March, and money and energy advisors from charities we fund will be in Post Offices across England, Scotland and Wales to help answer questions, provide free advice and give people the support they need this winter.

The trust also provides people in energy debt with grants to clear arrears, and has re-opened the Individual and Families Fund, an energy debt fund offering grants up to £1,700 for both British Gas and non-British Gas customers with debt on a credit or pre-payment meter account. We’d actively encourage anyone facing financial hardship who is in energy debt to apply as soon as possible. In 2023-24, the trust supported more than 5,300 households through awarding £7.8m in energy debt grants, with 6% going to pensioners.

Support really makes difference, one client to receive life-changing help from the Trust was Mr A (name changed to protect his identity), a single man in his 60s. He had long Covid, poor mental health, and an ill-equipped kitchen. He received support from Citizens Advice Colchester, and with their help was able to access a new fridge from the Trust White Goods Fund, £60 Home Support Fund voucher for kitchen utensils, backdated PIP of £6,523 and ongoing PIP of £139.10 per week, housing benefit of £525 per month, and help from a long Covid social prescriber.

Part of the challenge we and other like-minded organisations face, is reaching those hard-to-reach groups, such as pensioners, with support. This winter we would like to encourage everyone to share the support we offer with friends and family so that people know, “You are not alone.”

Jessica Taplin is chief executive officer of the British Gas Energy Trust.

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