Wales doubles winter fuel support to help with cost-of-living crisis

Winter fuel support payments will be doubled to £200 in Wales as the cost-of-living crisis worsens, Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt has announced today.

The £100 one-off payment was launched in December and is now being extended to support eligible households with rising energy bills and costs.

The support package is part of the Welsh Government’s Household Support Fund, which is providing £51m of targeted support for families and the most vulnerable.

Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt said: ‘Right across Wales, people are seeing their bills rise and wages are being stretched like never before. From energy bills to prices at the pumps and the costs of everyday essentials. We know some people are facing the incredibly difficult decision about whether they heat or eat. We’re in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, which is getting worse.

‘Our £51m Household Support Fund targeted support at families across Wales. We know these initiatives are working and making a real difference to the lives of low-income households.

‘That’s why I’m delighted to announce we’re going to extend support to households by doubling the Winter Fuel Support Scheme payment. We’re increasing the £100 payment to £200, and this will be available to new applicants and retrospectively paid to those who have applied already.’

To be eligible for the payment, one member of a household must be in receipt of certain welfare benefits, with local authorities processing applications from eligible households.

Ms Hutt added: ‘We are determined to do all we can to support our people with the bills they are facing, and this will go a long way to do just that.

‘I want to pay tribute to our local authorities for swiftly processing these payments. We all know they’ve been under tremendous pressure during the pandemic – time and again, they have stepped up to the plate and delivered for our communities.

‘This additional £100 increase will go some way to helping the most vulnerable in our society to pay their fuel bills during this difficult time and I’m determined to do all we can to continue to support the people of Wales through the cost of living crisis.’

In related news, a new report recommends urgent reforms to the UK’s social security system to protect low-income families from the cost of living crisis.

Photo supplied by the Welsh government