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Taking Control - A guide to buying or upgrading central heating controls(view report contents)

Help with money

You may be able get help towards your heating costs
If you want general information about benefits get in touch with the Benefits Enquiry Line:

Benefits Enquiry Line England, Wales, Scotland &
Benefits Enquiry line for people with disabilities
Telephone: 0800 88 22 00
Textphone: 0800 24 33 55
(Open 8.30 am to 6.30 pm Monday to Friday; 9.00 am to 1.00 pm Saturday)

Benefits Enquiry Line Northern Ireland
Tel: 0800 220674

Otherwise information agencies such as a local Citizens Advice Bureau should be able to help. Below we tell you about grants you can get which affect heating.

Warm front grants

England

If you get disability or income related benefits and if you own or rent your home privately, you may qualify for a grant for improving your heating or insulation. If you are under 60, this could be worth up to £1,500; £2,500 if you are 60 or over. The following details apply to the scheme as it works in England – see opposite for information for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

There are two kinds of grants. Warm Front grants go up to £1,500 for insulation and heating improvements. This can include loft, cavity wall insulation and draught proofing. You will also get free advice on how to cut your energy bills. You may qualify if you own your home or rent privately and you:

  • have a child under 16 or you are at least
    26 weeks pregnant;
  • you get an income-related benefit or;
  • someone in your household gets a disability
    related benefit.

Warm Front Plus grants go up to £2,500 to improve insulation and gas or electric central heating for your main living area. You have to meet the same conditions as for Warm Front grants and be aged 60 or over. It may take some months from your application to final installation.

To apply:

Warm Front
FREEPOST ANG 20756
Milton Keynes MK9 1BR
Tel: 0800 316 0611, free, Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm
Textphone: 0800 072 0156,
Email: enquiry@eaga.co.uk
www.eaga.co.uk

Northern Ireland

There are two schemes in Northern Ireland for householders who rent or own their homes privately. Warm Homes offers you grants of up to £750 for certain energy efficiency and heating measures. You have to be receiving particular benefits to qualify. Warm Homes Plus gives grants of up to £2,700 for householders who are 60 or over and receiving certain benefits.

Warm Homes
Tel: 0800 181 667
Textphone: 0800 072 0156

Scotland
In Scotland there are two schemes: Warm Deal offers grants up to £500 towards energy saving measures to people on certain benefits who rent or own their own homes. People aged 60 or over who don’t get a qualifying benefit could get a 25 per cent grant of up to £125.

Warm Deal
Phone free: 0800 072 0150
Textphone: 0800 072 0156
Email: scotland.enquiries@eaga.co.uk

The Scottish Executive Central Heating Programme is for people aged 60 or over, who own or rent their homes privately and do not have a central heating system (or have one which is completely broken or beyond repair). Grants can be made towards the cost of a new system and for some energy saving and safety measures.

Note that if you are 80 or over you may also qualify if you have a heating system which is inefficient or if it only covers part of your home.

Scottish Executive Central Heating Programme
Phone free: 0800 316 1653 / 6002
Textphone: 0800 072 0156
Email: scotland.enquiries@eaga.co.uk

Wales
The two Welsh schemes are known as HEES and HEES Plus for home owners and private renters. HEES grants go up to £1,500 for people who receive particular benefits. It covers the same kind of work as Warm Front in England. HEES Plus is for people aged over 60, lone parent families and sick or disabled people. Grants go up to £2,700 and help towards the installation of gas and electric central heating as well as the things covered by HEES.

HEES
Phone free: 0800 316 2815
Textphone: 0800 072 0156
Email: enquiries.wales@eaga.co.uk

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Help from your supplier
Your Electricity or Gas company may have grants to help you save energy. Ask them for details; information on how to contact them will be on the back of your bill. They may be able to arrange for you to pay your bills in different ways – by spreading them evenly through the year, by paying in different amounts at different times or by using a meter or buying savings stamps.

If you are a pensioner or have a disability and cannot pay your bill, tell your enery supplier right
away. You are extremely unlikely to get cut off in the winter (1 Octobe r- 31 March). They may be able to help you by, for example, allowing you to pay in installments or fitting a pre-payment meter.

They can also help in other ways if you are older or have a disability. They all have a Priority Service Register - click here for details of what you get if you register.

The main companies are listed here, otherwise the number will be on your fuel bill, or look under Electricity or Gas in the phonebook.

Local authority grants
Local authorities have grants for owner occupiers and private tenants. Whether you get one, and the size of the grant, will depend on what needs to be done and on your income and savings as well as on the individual authority. Ask them about House Renovation or Home Repair Assistance grant.

Winter fuel payment
In 2004 two payments will be made by the government to people aged 60 or over to help with the costs of keeping warm and other living expenses. You should qualify for Winter fuel payment if you’re 60 or over on or before 26th September. Depending on your circumstances you will get £200 or £100. And if you’re aged 80 or over on this date you should get an extra £100 or £50.

There are exceptions – see Helpful organisations for where to go for details.

A One off 70+ payment of £100 or £50 will also be made to anyone who is aged 70 or over by the 26th September. Payments should be automatic – you don’t have to do anything. These payments do not affect your pension or any other rights and are not taxed.

If you need more information and if you don’t receive the Winter fuel payment by Christmas
2004, contact:

Winter Fuel
Helpline : 08459 15 15 15
(Textphone: 0845 601 5613)
or get a claim form from www.thepensionservice.gov.uk.

Winter Fuel, Freepost Nat15405,
Darlington DL1 1ZU.

If you have questions about the One off 70+
payment:

Winter Fuel 70+ payment
Phone: 029 2042 8106

Or write to:
Winter Fuel 70+ payment,
Freepost Nat15404,
Cardiff CF91 1WF.
www.thepensionservice.gov.uk.

Cold Weather Payments
If you or your partner get Income Support, Pension Credit or an income-based Jobseeker's Allowance because you are aged 60 or over or have a child under 5 or because you are longterm sick or disabled, you should get Cold Weather Payments help with the extra costs of heating during very cold weather. You should be paid £8.50 automatically whenever the temperature falls below a set level for 7 consecutive day. To get more information or leaflets, get in touch with your Jobcentre Plus office, Jobcentre or social security office.

Energy Saving Trust
The Trust will send you a free information on ways of saving energy and money. It has details of grants for energy saving measures on its website. Their Energy Efficiency Hotline will give information by phone and tell you who may be able to give you local advice on heating and insulation. The Hotline can also put you in touch with your nearest Energy Efficiency Advice Centre (there are 52 in the UK).

Efficiency Advice Centre:
0800 512 012

Energy Efficiency hotline
0845 727 7200
www.est.org.uk

 

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Report Contents


About this guide
Central heating basics

Thermostats

Programmers

Tables

Help with money
Keeping bills down
Main gas and electricity operators
Helpful organisations
Help with seeing and gripping
Manufacturers