Thousands of Scotland’s unpaid carers set to be paid energy bill support

Millions of people who provide care for loved ones or relatives could get payments to help with their energy bills when icy blasts hit parts of the country this week.

The UK’s largest online community of unpaid carers is advising those living in relevant postcodes to check they receive any Cold Weather Payments which are triggered when temperatures plunge.

What are Cold Weather Payments?

Cold Weather Payments are made for every seven-day period of weather which is either forecast to be or recorded as zero degrees Celsius or below, and come in at £25 each time. These payments are made automatically by the DWP.

With the support lasting until 31st March, and another cold snap predicted to take place towards the end of this week, the experts at Mobilise (a community of 90,000 unpaid carers) are warning unpaid carers to check whether they could be eligible for the payments. 

Who is eligible?

Payments are made to eligible Brits living in areas affected by very cold weather. Postcodes beginning with CA have already triggered the highest number of payments this winter, totalling up to £75 so far, and are amongst those set to be affected again. 

According to the latest forecast, by Friday, the following areas are set to see temperatures plummet to the zero (or sub-zero) temperatures required to trigger Cold Weather Payments:

• Scotland 
• Wales
• The south west of England
• Cumbria

As well as living in an affected area, individuals must be entitled to certain financial support to qualify for Cold Weather Payments. Many unpaid carers have to reduce paid work in order to look after their loved ones, and are already eligible for the qualifying support as a result. You could get Cold Weather Payments if you are entitled to any of the following benefits:

• Pension Credit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Universal Credit
• Support for Mortgage Interest

Full eligibility criteria can be found on the Government’s website.

What additional energy bill support is available?

Following recent changes, Winter Fuel Payments are also now limited to those who are eligible for certain means-tested benefits, and the December deadline to apply has now passed. However, carers who are not able to claim Cold Weather Payments or Winter Fuel Payments may still be entitled to other forms of support to help with their energy bills.

Additional cold weather support on offer includes: 

• Warm Home Discount Scheme – This one-off payment of £150 is automatically paid directly to participating energy suppliers, to help with the costs of eligible Brits’ bills. To be eligible, you must either get the Guarantee Credit portion of Pension Credit, or have high energy costs and receive a different qualifying benefit – see the Government’s website for full details. Payments are available until March. But eligible carers who have not yet received a payment or letter should contact the Scheme’s helpline on 0800 731 0214 by the beginning of February. In Scotland, the criteria is different and requires carers to apply through their energy supplier (see here for more information).
• The Household Support Fund – This funding is aimed at anyone who is vulnerable or struggling to afford essentials in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, and can help with grants or vouchers towards energy bills. You can find out if you’re eligible and how to apply (if you need to) through your local council’s website.
• The Scottish Welfare Fund – This is the Scottish equivalent of the Household Support Fund. Crisis Grants are offered as one-off payments as part of this funding to people in “emergency” situations, and can help if you are living in Scotland and struggling with energy bills. To be eligible for a grant you must receive a qualifying benefit, and apply through your local council. See the Scottish Government’s website for more details. 
• Grants to help with energy bill debts – Some providers offer grants and advice to help customers pay off energy bill debts. You can find a list of energy suppliers who offer these grants via Citizens Advice. For carers living in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, see more details here. For carers living in Scotland, more details can be found here. 
• Gas checks – If the person you care for is disabled, vulnerable or elderly, they may also be entitled to a free annual gas safety check. Providers such as British Gas offer this if you sign up to their Priority Service Register.
• Disability energy support – Scope offers free advice and support for anyone caring for someone who is disabled, to help with things like energy bill debts, accessing benefits and grants, and signing up for the Priority Services Register. Visit the charity’s website for more information.

For more advice and guidance on the energy bill support available to unpaid carers, you can find detailed information or speak to a carer support expert via the Mobilise website.