State pensioners being handed NEW £200 Cost of Living 'vouchers'

State pensioners being handed NEW £200 Cost of Living 'vouchers'

by · Birmingham Live

State pensioners are being handed £200 Cost of Living "vouchers" after losing the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Winter Fuel Payment. State pensioners aged over 80 will be handed £200 from North Tyneside Council as part of the Household Support Fund.

The local authority explained: "The Government has provided us with a Household Support fund worth £1,609,998 to help the households and residents who need it the most in North Tyneside up until 31 March 2025." The council will award a voucher to elderly, vulnerable residents who will be missing out on the winter fuel payment and are a low-income household (one voucher per household), as well as pointing them towards further support.

Those on Council Tax Support , and or Housing Benefit, who are not receiving Pension Credit, will be sent a PayPoint voucher, those under 80 will receive a voucher for £150.00 and those 80 and over will receive £200.00. The letter that accompanies the voucher will encourage pensioner to claim Pension Credit and to seek advice from Age UK and Citizens Advice if they need help to claim.

READ MORE UK faces 1 inch snow per hour this week with three parts of England worst-hit

The voucher can be cashed upto 3 months from the date issued. Vouchers will be issued from December through to the end of January. The council will also target winter clothing grant for households on low income, distributed by schools.

Those entitled to income related Free School Meals will receive £15 supermarket vouchers for each week of the school holidays per child. The council stated that, to be eligibile, you must be a North Tyneside resident and must only lodge one application between April 2024 and March 2025.

You must also have no savings and be "experiencing significant hardship, which means the applicant is unable to meet the immediate short terms needs of their household.". It added: "Previous applications to Household Support Fund will be taken into consideration.

"One application per household."