Government support – help with energy bills

Tip

Many supermarkets and food delivery services offer home delivery for shopping bought online and you can choose ready meals, including frozen meals that you can heat in a microwave or an oven. If you prefer to do your shopping in a shop, look out for assisted shopping schemes, where staff can help you with finding items and reaching shelves.

If you use an organisation to help you with your shopping, check if it will take you shopping, rather than doing your shopping for you. Going shopping means you can choose your items yourself and is one way of keeping active.

Meal delivery services are available; you can find out more on the Peterborough Information Network at

www.peterborough.gov.uk/pin

Keeping your home warm

Government support – help with energy bills

Government has announced a range of support in response to the rising energy costs. All domestic energy customers in Great Britain will receive a £400 grant to help with the cost of their energy bills through the Energy Bill Support Scheme. This money will not need to be paid back and requires no action from the customer.

Households liable for Council Tax in Bands A-D in England have also received a £150 Council Tax Rebate to help with the rising cost of bills. If your household is on means-tested benefits you will also receive a payment of £650.

This includes all households who receive:

• Universal Credit.

• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance.

• Income-related Employment and

Support Allowance.

• Income Support. • Child Tax Credit.

• Pension Credit.

The payment is made in two instalments of £326 in summer and £324 in autumn. The payments do not need to be applied for; if you are eligible the payments will be made automatically. The payments are not taxable and will not affect the benefits or tax credits you get.

In addition, all pensioner households will receive an extra £300 to help cover the rising cost of energy this winter and people with disabilities will receive an extra £150 to help with the particular extra costs they face.

Government will make these payments directly to households. In addition, you may be eligible for the following means of support.

Warm Home Discount

A one-off payment to reduce eligible customers’ bills over the winter months. This winter (2022-23), it’s rising from £140 to £150.

You get the payment automatically if your electricity supplier is part of the Warm Home Discount scheme and you or your partner receive the Guarantee Credit portion of Pension Credit. One of you must be named on your bill.

Getting a Warm Home Discount doesn’t affect your entitlement to a Winter Fuel Payment or Cold Weather Payment.

Winter Fuel Payment

An annual tax-free payment for households that include someone born on or before 25th September 1956. It’s designed to help you cover your heating costs in winter.

If you were born on or before 25th September 1956, you could get between £100 and £300 to help with your bills in winter this year. The exact amount depends on your age and whether other people in your household also qualify.

You’ll usually get a smaller payment if you live in a care home or nursing home and don’t get one of the following benefits:

• Pension Credit.

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.

• Income-related Employment and Support

Allowance.

• Income Support.

If you live in a care home or nursing home and you do get any of these benefits, then you’re not entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment.

Cold Weather Payment

Extra money for people receiving certain benefits, such as Pension Credit, when there’s very cold weather.

You get £25 a week for each seven-day period of cold weather. This only applies between 1st November and 31st March each year. To be eligible for the payment the average temperature in your area needs to have been 0˚C or less for seven consecutive days. • Pension Credit.

• Income Support.

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.

• Income-related Employment and Support

Allowance.

• Universal Credit.

• Support for Mortgage Interest.

Local Energy Advice Programme (LEAP)

LEAP is a free energy advice service to help you save money and keep your home warm.

LEAP offers a free of charge,in-home advice visit.

Its home energy advisors can:

• Install free, simple energy-saving measures such as LED light bulbs and draught-proofing.

• Check if you’re on the best energy tariff via its dedicated switching service.

• Arrange a free money advice consultation.

• Help you find funding for further energy-saving home improvements.

To find out more and see if you are eligible for this service visit

www.applyforleap.org.uk

Apply through Green Energy Switch using the following contact details. Tel: 01733 646253 Email: info@greenenergyswitch.co.uk

Or visit the online application form at

www.greenenergyswitch.co.uk/home-energy

Household Support Fund

Supports those in need with food and utility bills and is for:

• Families with children.

• Pensioners.

In Peterborough there are three schemes: 1. School holiday voucher scheme – issued to families eligible for free school meals. 2. Pensioner support scheme – you can apply for this if: • You were born on or before 30th September 1956.

• You live in Peterborough. • You are experiencing financial hardship. • No one under the age of 19 (born after 30th

September 2003) lives with you.

3. Vulnerable adults scheme – you can apply for this if: • You live in the Peterborough area. • You don’t have any children eligible for, or receiving, free school meals. • You are between the age of 18 and pensionable age. • You are liable for the power supply at the property. • You are the tenant or property owner. • You are in receipt of Universal Credit, Income

Support, Personal Independence Payment or

Disability Living Allowance.

You can find out more about these schemes and how to apply by visiting www.peterborough.gov.uk and searching ‘household support scheme’.

Personal care in your own home

If you need support with your personal care, such as washing yourself or getting dressed, you can employ a care worker to help you.

Care workers can visit you at home daily and generally visits are available from 7.00am until 10.00pm, although night services can also be provided. Your visit length will depend on the support that you need. The hourly rate charged for services depends on what is required, the time of day, and location.

You may choose to employ an individual support worker or ‘personal assistant’ to help you. Employing a personal assistant means you will be cared for by the same individual, which can help build trust and relationships. It does however mean that you become an employer, but support is available for this.

Peterborough Council for Voluntary Service (PCVS) provides a Direct Payments Support Service where, for a small charge, you can be supported to set up and manage your Direct Payments to pay your personal assistant. For more information about Direct Payments, see page 56.There is a lot of information on personal assistants online at

www.skillsforcare.org.uk

To find a personal assistant in Peterborough, visit www.peterborough.gov.uk/pin and search ‘personal assistant’. If you require a lot of help with your personal care, it may be easier and cheaper to have a support worker who lives in your home. You may also want to consider 24-hour live-in care on a short-term basis so a relative who looks after you can take a break. Charges for live-in care depend on the amount of care, skills, and support required.

Tip

Some care workers may also help you with cleaning, shopping, and cooking. Before you choose who to use, ask them what they can and can’t do. If a homecare provider only provides personal care, you may want to employ a cleaner as well.

You can use the checklist on page 35 to help you choose a care worker.

Tip

Information about receiving care in your own home continues on page 46 after a comprehensive list of home care providers serving Peterborough and borderline areas, which begins on page 39.

Turn to page 46 for more information about inspecting and regulating home care providers, carers’ support, and specific support for people with sensory impairments, disabilities, autism, and dementia.

Keeping the life they love, while getting the care they need Keeping the life they love, while getting the care they need Keeping the life they love, while getting the care they need

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