State pensioners who've lost Winter Fuel Payment getting free £300 council handout

Struggling UK households who've lost the £300 Winter Fuel Payment in a brutal blow amid the Cost of Living crisis are being handed free Cost of Living sums. After the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) eligibility shake-up, households can get new £300 cost of living help after the Winter Fuel Allowance axe.

Blackpool Council will be giving payments of up to £300 to households who are struggling to cover energy or water costs. The local authority in the North West of England explained: "Funding has been made available by the government’s Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) to support vulnerable Blackpool residents who are struggling with rising living costs.

"The Household Support Fund is a national scheme to provide support to vulnerable households in most need of help with significantly rising living costs. The current fund ends 31st March 2025. We will update this page with details of continuation funding when available."

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In Blackpool the Household Support fund can help by providing short term financial support to meet immediate needs and help residents who are struggling to meet household energy or water costs. An award of £200 will be made to qualifying households of one or two people (including children).

An award of £300 will be made to qualifying households of of three or more people (including children). If successful awards will be paid directly to your energy provider and will appear as a credit on your bill or pre-payment electric or gas meter.

This scheme is open to Blackpool residents only. Household members must be permanent residents of the supply address. Children must be permanent residents of the address and have child benefit in payment at the address.

"We will carry out checks to confirm household numbers," the local authority has also gone on to warn its residents.