Because of a selected scheme, some power prospects could also be in for a £200 windfall this month. Octopus Power has prolonged its help scheme to incorporate these over State Pension age who are usually not receiving Pension Credit score, a transfer that lots of its prospects will not be conscious of.

This follows the UK Authorities’s choice to scrap annual Winter Gasoline Funds for greater than 10 million older folks throughout Nice Britain. The change in eligibility means hundreds of thousands of pensioners who obtained funds between £100 and £300 final yr is not going to obtain the cash this winter.

Nonetheless, Octopus has pledged to proceed its £30 million help fund into this winter, making State Pensioners who don’t meet the brand new standards for Winter Gasoline Funds eligible. In an analogous vein, OVO has launched a £50m package deal of help geared toward serving to prospects fighting power payments as the brand new, increased value cap takes impact.

Each funds are actually open for functions with funding out there all-year-round. Octopus Power’s ‘Octo Help’ fund can present discretionary credit of £50, £100 and £200 and the power big is reminding prospects that it at all times prices beneath the value cap – which has now risen by 10 per cent – shielding prospects from £150m of power prices every year.

They’re additionally serving to to guard folks towards the tough influence of the power disaster, with initiatives together with free electrical blankets for susceptible prospects and loans for warmth loss cameras to sort out draughts. Moreover, bespoke energy-saving recommendation and ‘financial savings periods’ are being supplied, leading to over 2 million contributors reaching a collective £10.5 million in financial savings over the previous two winters, reviews the Every day File.

Octopus Power Group’s Founder, Greg Jackson, remarked not too long ago: “At instances like this, we will not anticipate the federal government to do all the pieces – firms must work exhausting on affordability too. That is why we have expanded our Octo Help fund to introduce further help for the pensioners who want it most.”

He highlights a vital subject relating to unclaimed advantages, stating, “There’s numerous authorities and different help for pensioners however many do not realise it – authorities knowledge exhibits one in three pensioners eligible for pension credit are usually not claiming, so we’re coaching our workforce to assist with this too.”

OVO Further Help Package deal

OVO has an Further Help Package deal of £50 million. Just like the Octo Help fund, this package deal is offered all year long, with extra help offered through the winter months. That is geared toward serving to eligible prospects with monetary assist and power effectivity merchandise to navigate by way of the colder season. Over the previous yr, OVO has prolonged its help to over 200,000 prospects by way of its buyer help package deal. The £50m package deal consists of:

• Cost holidays for all prepayment prospects so that each penny placed on the meter will go in direction of heating, not paying again debt this winter. OVO can also be holding emergency credit score on the elevated quantity of £15.
• Free power saving merchandise together with electrical throws, mattress toppers, and residential effectivity kits.
• Power effectivity upgrades: Prospects may obtain a variety of energy-saving measures put in by way of ECO4 – from loft insulation to a brand new boiler, and even high-end tech like warmth pumps. Eligible prospects may get an entire package deal put in, all totally free.
• Monetary help together with Direct Debit reductions, emergency credit score top-ups, and prolonged reimbursement plans.
• New partnerships and elevated monetary aid for purchasers alongside assist for organisations together with Heat Welcome Marketing campaign and StepChange.

OVO’s eligibility goes past the £150 Heat House Low cost, that means older folks lacking out on Winter Gasoline Funds should still be eligible for help. Discover out extra about help from OVO right here.

Each Octopus Power and OVO advisers also can assist prospects test for unclaimed advantages comparable to Pension Credit score.

Pension Credit score

The profit will increase earnings to a minimal of £218.15 per week for single pensioners and £332.95 for {couples} – extra if a person has a incapacity or caring obligations. An award of simply £1 per week is sufficient to unlock different help, together with Winter Gasoline Funds.

The profit tops up earnings to a minimal of £218.15 per week for single pensioners and £332.95 for {couples} – extra if an individual has a incapacity or caring obligations. Alternatively, pensioners can contact the Pension Credit score helpline on to make a declare on 0800 99 1234 – traces are open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Examine eligibility for Pension Credit score

Older folks, or family and friends, can shortly test their eligibility and get an estimate of what they might obtain by utilizing the net Pension Credit score calculator on GOV.UK right here.

Alternatively, pensioners can contact the Pension Credit score helpline on to make a declare on 0800 99 1234 – traces are open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

New claims submitted to the DWP by December 21, 2024 which later turn into profitable will qualify for a backdated Winter Gasoline Cost.

Skilled assist and recommendation can also be out there from:

Here is an summary of the profit, together with eligibility standards, software course of, and potential payout. When you qualify for Pension Credit score, it’s also possible to avail different advantages.

Different assist in the event you get Pension Credit score

When you qualify for Pension Credit score it’s also possible to get different assist, comparable to:

• Assist with NHS dental remedy, glasses and transport prices for hospital appointments
• Council Tax low cost

Housing Profit in the event you hire the property you reside in

• Help for Mortgage Curiosity in the event you personal the property you reside in
• Free TV licence in case you are aged 75 or over
• Assist along with your heating prices by way of the Heat House Low cost Scheme and Winter Gasoline Cost
• A reduction on the Royal Mail redirection service in case you are shifting home

Combined-aged older {couples} and Pension Credit score

In Could 2019, the regulation modified for ‘combined age {couples}’ – the place one companion is of State Pension age and the opposite is not – they’re now thought of a ‘working age’ couple when checking entitlement to means-tested advantages. This suggests they can’t declare Pension Credit score or pension age Housing Profit till each companions attain State Pension age.

Easy methods to use the Pension Credit score calculator

Previous to this DWP change, a combined age couple may declare the extra beneficiant State Pension age advantages when only one companion reached State Pension age. To make use of the Pension Credit score calculator on GOV.UK, you may want particulars of:

You’ll want the identical particulars on your companion when you’ve got one. You may be introduced by a sequence of questions with a number of selection reply choices.

This consists of:

• How a lot you obtain every week for any advantages you get
• Whether or not somebody is paid Carer’s Allowance to take care of you
• Your date of delivery
• How a lot you get every week from pensions – State Pension, personal and work pensions
• Whether or not you might be registered blind
• Which advantages you presently obtain
• The place within the UK you reside
• Any employment earnings
• Your residential standing
• Any financial savings, investments or bonds you have got

As soon as you’ve got answered the mandatory questions, a abstract display screen will show your responses, permitting you to look over and alter any solutions earlier than you submit it. The Pension Credit score calculator then reveals the potential weekly profit you may obtain.

All you must do now could be observe the hyperlink to the appliance web page to find precisely what you may obtain from the DWP, together with entry to different monetary help. There’s additionally an choice to print off your responses utilizing the calculator instrument, aiding in a faster completion of the appliance kind with no need to recall the identical particulars. Attempt the Pension Credit score Calculator for your self or your member of the family to be sure to’re receiving all of the monetary help you might be entitled to assert.

Who can’t use the Pension Credit score calculator?

You can’t use the calculator in the event you or your companion:

• are deferring your State Pension

• personal multiple property

• are self employed

• have housing prices (comparable to service prices or Crown Tenant hire) that are neither mortgage repayments nor hire coated by Housing Profit

Easy methods to make a declare

To make a declare, you can begin your software as much as 4 months earlier than reaching State Pension age. You may declare anytime after reaching State Pension age however your declare can solely be backdated for 3 months. This implies you’ll be able to obtain as much as three months of Pension Credit score in your first cost in the event you had been eligible throughout that point.

You’ll need:

• your checking account particulars, in the event you’re making use of by telephone or by put up

• your Nationwide Insurance coverage quantity

• details about your earnings, financial savings and investments

When you’re making use of by telephone or by put up, you may want your checking account particulars. When you’re backdating your declare, you may want particulars of your earnings, financial savings and investments on the date you need your declare to start out.

Apply on-line

You should use the net service if:

• there aren’t any kids or younger folks included in your declare

• you have got already claimed your State Pension

To test your entitlement, telephone the Pension Credit score helpline on 0800 99 1234 or use the GOV.UK Pension Credit score calculator right here to learn the way a lot you may get.