Final push to get winter payments to pensioners

Thousands of older people in Essex are being contacted by local councils to see if they are eligible for the one-off winter fuel payments.

Pensioners can still qualify for up to £300, but only if they apply for Pension Credit by midnight on Saturday.

The charity Independent Age estimates that 19,305 people in Essex could be eligible.

Morgan Vine, director of policy and influencing at the charity, said "it is incredibly important they receive every penny they are entitled to" because of the recent government changes.

"We know that people in later life in financial hardship are living in one room to save on energy costs, skipping meals and washing in cold water," said Mrs Vine.

"We're calling on the UK government to introduce a Pension Credit take-up strategy with effective, long-term plans to target those eligible for support and get money directly to them."

It is estimated that about 10 million pensioners in England and Wales will no longer receive the winter fuel payment, following the Labour government's decision in July

People must now be on Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits to receive the payments.

Thurrock Council said it was contacting more than a thousand pensioners about the winter fuel payment.

Southend-on-Sea City Council said it had contacted 806 people about Pension Credit, while Basildon Council contacted 1,100 - which it said resulted in 89 now receiving the benefit and their winter fuel payment.

And in Colchester, city council staff said they helped eight residents fill in application forms online, while 100 residents were contacted by phone or letter.

Rochford District Council believed there could be as many as 849 people eligible for Pension Credit in its patch.

Liberal Democrat councillor James Newport, leader at Rochford, said: "We really want to be able to reach out and help people that may have lost out on receiving the winter fuel payment and provide them with this additional support."

Those applying for Pension Credit can do so online, but the forms were criticised for being too complicated by pensioners attending the lunch club at the Todman Centre in Rayleigh.

The form has 24 pages and boasts 225 separate questions, requiring individuals to fill in details such as past savings and investments and National Insurance numbers.

Joyce Britton, 85, who is above the means-tested threshold and therefore will not receive Pension Credit, said: "Lots of pensioners need someone to go through it for them - it's too complicated."

Tom Westbrook, 83, from Thundersley, added: "The fact there is so much with the form makes it complicated. I would need someone filling it in for me."

A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said: "Over a million pensioners will still receive the Winter Fuel Payment, and our drive to boost Pension Credit take-up has seen applications more than double, with over 40,000 more pensioners now receiving it, as well as the Winter Fuel Payment."

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