Fuel Poverty - Battling Bills - What help is there?

You may find this story from the BBC Website useful. Click here for original story. It contains many links to help.


"Battling bills - what help is there?

With average gas and electricity costs now totalling more than £1,000 a year, many families may be worried about paying their fuel bills this winter. This guide outlines what help is available.

KEY NUMBERS
Home Heat helpline
0800 33 66 99
Energywatch helpline
08459 06 07 08
Eaga benefit entitlement check
0191 247 3800
As well as the general help listed here, suppliers often offer grants, special tariffs and other measures on a case-by-case basis.

If you are having trouble paying your bill you should check with your supplier to find out what help is available from them.
GOVERNMENT PAYMENTS

WINTER FUEL PAYMENT

What is it?
A tax-free annual benefit, it is usually paid from November.

Who is eligible?
Those aged 60 or over by 24 September 2006 and who normally live in the United Kingdom.

How much?
How much you get varies according to personal circumstances. For example, a person living alone, or who is the only person in their household who qualifies, would receive £200 - or £300 if they are aged 80 and over.

How to apply?
If you have not had the payment before and are not getting a state pension or another benefit (apart from housing benefit, council tax benefit or child benefit) the payment will not be automatic, you need to apply.

You can get a claim form by calling 08459 151 515.
Or see this page on the Direct.Gov website.

COLD WEATHER PAYMENT

What is it?
The payment is made when the average temperature is recorded as, or forecast to be, 0C (32F) or below over seven consecutive days.

Who is eligible?
You are entitled if you receive the following:

pension credit
income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance and there is a child aged under five in your family
pensioner premium, higher pensioner premium or enhanced pensioner premium
a disability premium or severe disability premium
a disabled child premium or a child tax credit that includes an individual element for a child or qualifying young person who is disabled or severely disabled
How much?
A one-off payment of £8.50.

How to apply?
The payment is made automatically.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

WARM FRONT ENGLAND

What is it?
A grant scheme in England providing heating and insulation in privately owned or rented homes.

Depending on an applicant's needs, it will pay for things such as loft insulation, draught proofing, gas room heaters with thermostat controls gas and electric or oil central heating.
Energy advice and two low-energy light bulbs are also available.

Who is eligible?
You may get a grant if you get one or more of the following benefits:

working tax credit (with an income of less than £15,050 and which must include a disability element)
child tax credit (with an income of less than £15,050)
attendance allowance
disability living allowance
income support (must include a disability premium)
housing benefit (must include a disability premium)
council tax benefit (must include a disability premium)
war disablement pension (must include a mobility supplement or a constant attendance allowance)
industrial injuries disablement benefit (must include constant attendance allowance)
you have a child under 16, or are pregnant, and get income support or council tax benefit or housing benefit or income-based jobseeker's allowance or pension credit
you are aged 60 or over and get pension credit, or council tax benefit, or housing benefit or income-based jobseeker's allowance
How much?
Grants range up to £2,700 - or up to £4,000 if your home needs oil central heating.

How to apply?
You will need to complete an application form before an adviser visits you to assess and recommend work for your property. Call 0800 316 6011.

WARM DEAL SCOTLAND
What is it?
Offers grants for a range of energy-saving measures, including cavity wall insulation, draught proofing, four energy-saving light bulbs, plus energy efficiency advice.

Who is eligible?
You may get a grant if you get one or more of the following benefits:

attendance allowance
child tax credit (with an income of less than £15,050)
council tax benefit
disability living allowance
disabled person's tax credit
housing benefit
income-based jobseeker's allowance
income support
industrial injuries disablement benefit (must include constant attendance allowance)
pension credit
war disablement pension (must include mobility supplement or constant attendance allowance)
working tax credit (with an income of less than £15,050)
How much?
A maximum of £500.

How to apply?
Telephone 0800 316 6009

CENTRAL HEATING PROGRAMME SCOTLAND

What is it?
Funded by the Scottish Executive, it is a non means-tested scheme, providing free central heating and insulation packages for those whose system is broken and beyond repair, or who do not have one at all.

Who is eligible?
Residents in Scotland aged 60 and over who are home owners or rent in the private sector. They must have been resident at the address of application for at least a year and it must be their main home and not subject to a demolition order.

The address must be self-contained and have no central heating, or the existing central heating system must be completely broken and beyond repair.

How much?
Up to £3,500.

How to apply?
Telephone 0800 316 1653.

CENTRAL HEATING PROGRAMME SCOTLAND FOR OVER 80s

What is it?
Replaces heating systems, plus other measures such as a free smoke alarm, assistance with care and help moving and replacing furniture while heating is fitted.

Who is eligible?
Anyone over 80 who has a partial or inefficient system, generally more than 20 years old.

How much?
Up to £3,500.

How to apply?
Telephone 0800 316 1653.

HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY SCHEME IN WALES
What is it?
Provides grants for energy efficiency measures - such as loft insulation, low energy light bulbs and gas room heaters - and energy advice.

Who is eligible?
Those in receipt of the following benefits and have a child under 16, or are pregnant:

income support
working tax credit (with an income of less than £15,050)
council tax benefit
child tax credit (with an income of less than £15,050)
housing benefit
income-based jobseeker's allowance
How much?
Up to £1,500.

How to apply?
Telephone 0800 316 2815.

HEES plus in Wales

What is it?
Aimed at owner-occupiers or private tenants in Wales, it provides grants for energy efficiency measures and gives tailored energy efficiency advice.

Who is eligible?
People aged 60 or over, or one-parent families with a child under 16, and in receipt of one or more of the following:

income support
housing benefit
council tax benefit
state pension credit
income-based job seeker's allowance
OR

Householders who are disabled or chronically sick, and in receipt of one or more of the following:

working tax credit
housing benefit
income support
council tax benefit, plus the disability element
disability living allowance
attendance allowance
industrial injuries disablement benefit, plus constant attendance allowance
war disablement pension plus constant attendance allowance
attendance allowance
mobility supplement
OR

Householders with children under 16 living in the property, who are claiming child benefit with the child receiving disability living allowance.

How much?
Up to £2,700

How to apply?
Telephone 0800 316 2815.

NORTHERN IRELAND WARM HOMES SCHEME

What is it?
Funded by the Department for Social Development, it is aimed at owner-occupiers and people who rent their homes from private landlords in Northern Ireland. It is not available for public sector properties.

The fund gives a grant for a package of energy efficiency and heating measures.

Who is eligible?
Householders of any age (the applicant or their spouse) who have a child under the age of 16 and who are in receipt of one or more of the following benefits:

housing benefit
rate rebate
income support
income-based job seeker's allowance
child tax credit
expectant mothers in receipt of a Maternity certificate (MAT B1) and one of the above benefits
OR

Householders under 60 (the applicant or their spouse) who are in receipt of one or more of the following disability-related benefits:

disability living allowance
housing benefit (with disability premium)
rate rebate (with disability premium
)
income support (with disability premium)
working tax credit (with disability premium) and NHS tax exemption certificate
war disablement pension (with mobility supplement or constant attendance allowance)
industrial injuries disablement benefit (with constant attendance allowance)
How much?
Up to £750.

How to apply?
Telephone 0800 181 667.

WARM HOMES PLUS - NORTHERN IRELAND
What is it?
In addition to the warm homes scheme, includes measures such as installing new central heating systems.

Who is eligible?
Householders who are 60 years and over and are in receipt of one or more of the following benefits:

rate rebate
housing benefit
pension credit
income-based job seeker's allowance
attendance allowance
disability living allowance
working tax credit (with disability premium) and NHS tax exemption certificate
industrial injuries disablement benefit (with constant attendance allowance)
war disablement pension (with mobility supplement or constant attendance allowance)
How much?
Up to £3,700.

How to apply?
Telephone 0800 181 667.

ENERGY SUPPLIER FUNDS
POWERGEN HARDSHIP FUND

Aims to assist Powergen customers who are low income households facing financial difficulty and who may not be eligible for financial help from government schemes.

Can offer the following assistance:

payments in full or part to cover the cost of installing cavity wall insulation and/or loft insulation
payments in full or part to cover the cost of repairing or installing heating measures which in some cases could include repair of unsafe gas heating systems
payments in full or part could be made to cover the cost of household appliances
Telephone 0800 051 1480.

EDF ENERGY TRUST FUND

A charity that gives grants to people who have electricity, gas, telephone, and in some cases, other essential household bill debts.

Funded by EDF, its gives grants, and financial and energy efficiency advice.

You must be a domestic customer of London Energy, Seeboard Energy, Sweb Energy or EDF Energy.

There are two types of grants. They are for:

individuals to cover the payment of gas and electricity debts and other essential household bills or costs
voluntary organisations working in the field of money advice, debt counselling or energy efficiency advice
Telephone 01733 421050.

BRITISH GAS ENERGY TRUST

The British Gas Energy Trust, which incorporates the Scottish Gas Energy Trust, gives grants to help individuals and families in need to meet arrears of energy charges and other household bills and costs.

You must be a domestic customer of British Gas or Scottish Gas.

Can help with:

arrears of domestic gas/electricity charges
other essential domestic bills and costs. You can apply for such help even if you do not apply for help with your gas/electricity charges
Telephone 01733 421021.

A winter fuel rebate is also available of up to £90 to British Gas's most vulnerable customers.

Telephone 0845 601 2006.

SCOTTISH POWER ENERGY PEOPLE TRUST

Organisations and groups can apply for funding to support projects or schemes covering:

crisis funding, such as women and children needing emergency accommodation and vulnerable young people setting up their first home
benefits health checks or income maximisation. For example, helping households that are not claiming all the benefits to which they are entitled
energy efficiency measures
research
If you are having trouble paying your bill you should check with your supplier to find out what help is available. Many offer grants, and/or special tariffs and other measures.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/6043288.stm

Published: 2006/10/24 00:25:38 GMT

© BBC MMVIII"

Keeping a diary.

Been a week spent mainly researching & writing letters when possible.

Just a reminder that keeping a diary is a good tool when it comes to filling in the issues you face on a daily & nightly basis. When completing any form. It gives you something to remind you. It need not be too elaborate either.

Feedback from users.

Hello.

Please let us know how and what you think about the website. Is there anything you want to see covered? Email me.

GOOD NEWS.

This morning heard of two more claims that stayed the same. The time frame on average thus far is 4 to 5 months.

Disability benefits and the European Economic Area and Switzerland

Information is now available on the DirectGov website on the position of cliaming Disabled benefits whilst residing in the European Econmic Area & Switzerland.

This follows a statement in the House of Commons by Ann McGuire MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Work & Pensions. She is the Minister for the Disabled.

EAS Rates

You may be interested in the following site's for detail about the Employment & Support Allowance Rates.

"Government Goes Against Spirit Of Parliamentary Promise To Disabled People, UK" from Medical News Today.

"New rates “will force more into poverty”" from Disability Now.

Also the Members forum on Benefits & Work has some good information on this.

Direct Payments

"Direct payments are cash payments made to individuals who have been assessed as needing services, in lieu of social service provisions."

If you want to find out more the Department of Health has information on it's website - Click here

The Penerels Trust is a charity providing services to those in receipt of "Direct Payments". This is not a recommendation. I merely include this link for information purposes.

Shared Experience.

Emailed to me for inclusion here this can also be found at http://mark1-hivdla.blogspot.com/

"To everybody who may find this interesting or indeed helpful

i just wan't to say a big thank you for starting this site , i have found it
very useful and informative .
I will tell my story but try and keep it shortish , though thats quite
difficult compressing 22 years of ones life into a few lines , I'm a long
term survivor of HIV/AIDS I was diagnosed when i was 25 in 1986 which seems
like a lifetime ago , and i can hardly remember a time when i wasn't HIV +
If i cold have chosen a different life then i certainly would have done , i
would really like to think it hasn't controlled my life , but deep down i
know it has .
I was awarded DLA in 1996 with probably about six months to live i had a very
low CD4 count and a lot of KS lesions on my body amongst other infections ,
at this point i was still working (3 days a week ) god knows how, i used to
fall asleep at work on a regular basis .
it was around that time that i started on the endless drug trials which of
course i remain on to this day , my blood counts became better and i
continued working until 2001 when even though my my CD4 count was reasonably
high and my viral load non detectable i got another AIDS defining illness
just to beat me back down again , after being miss diagnosed with tonsillitis
for 4 months and endless amounts of antibiotics i was seen as an emergency
patient at st thomas
where i was diagnosed with non hodgkins lymphoma (cancer) they gave me a 25 %
chance of survival and i had chemotherapy for a year at this point i had to
stop work and have not worked since . i was a very successfull hairdresser
and got to the top of my profession having had to have a year off
i count on my DLA to live on these days along with income support and i'm not
sure how i'll manage without it my doctor was very understanding when i told
him about the review and told me to write my own letter and in explaining my
condition /disability and how it effects me etc . i don't think the
"decision maker" should base his decision on blood counts because they
certainly have had little bearing on the infections and illness's i
personally have had .
i was once told by a leading HIV doctor that your immune system isn't the
same once its been compromised

just to say thanks for reading this , hope the spelling wasn't to dreadful

i await the brown envelope"

Non Clinical HIV Services in South London

This is a follow up post to the one John made entitled 'Unhappy With Your HIV Services'

South London (with the partial exception of Bromley) has a unique arrangement whereby all of the PCT's (Primary Care Trusts) and local authorities (Council's) have got together to fund and make provision for a range of HIV services....you can find out what they are funding and who is providing those services for them by going to the 'South London HIV Partnership' website at http://slhp.nam.org.uk/cms1256039.aspx the site also gives details of how to access those services.

If you have any issues with the service you receive from any of the organisations providing services to you for the SLHP and you do not wish.... for any reason... to bring them to the attention of the organisation concerned or to the SLHP directly you can do so via 'Feedback South London' which is service user body.... details of which are available on its web site at http://www.feedbacksl.org.uk/

House of Lords Debate on HIV/AIDS April, 3rd 2008

You may be interested in the content of this debate. Held in the House of Lords on 3rd April 2008. Click here for the debate.

As indicated in the debate. Lord Fowler is a trustee of the Terrence Higgins Trust & sits on the All-Party Parliamentary Group on AIDS.

I've had some correspondence with the All Party Group but await feedback on our issues.

Today, I wrote to several members of the House of Lords that took part in this debate.

Early Day Motion 637 on Disabled Poverty

I found this today. It is an Early Day Motion, number 637. You can find it by clicking here to see if your MP has signed it. If not, please write to them.

"EDM 637


DISABILITY POVERTY IN THE UK

07.01.2008

That this House notes that the Leonard Cheshire Disability report Disability Poverty in the UK finds that disabled people are twice as likely as non-disabled people to live in poverty; further notes that disabled people can experience poverty in a number of ways including financial poverty, poverty of aspiration and poverty of opportunity; further notes that average basic living costs are much higher for disabled people; further notes that disabled people are twice as likely to be unemployed and seeking work than non-disabled people and that disabled people who are not expected to work are often trapped in inescapable poverty; believes that the extent of disability poverty in the UK today is unacceptable; and calls on the Government to make tackling disability poverty a priority."

Tcell group.

Another successful meeting this week.

We are keen to find out what your thoughts are on what we do here. So please drop me an email or comment accordingly. Thanks. If you would like to get more involved also, please email me.

Some events & info you may find useful

Picked up by a member of Tcell from the Tfl Disability Magazine "Getting There".

From the 29th April to 1st May 2008 - Naidex Independent Living exhibition at the NEC Birmingham.

Also there is an Advocacy group you may find useful. Called the Advocacy Resource Exchange they can be telephoned on 08451 22 86 33 between 2pm & 5pm, Monday to Friday.

DLA556 came in post this morning

Well I was waiting for it as my partner had his. My DLA556 form came this morning. I have scanned this in and added it to the documents available, just follow the "Useful Documents" link on the main web site.

I make this available for information purposes.

Not everyone will be asked to fill in a DLA556. You may get a decision upon assessment of your DBD551 & medical report. You may be asked by letter to provide a little more information. Before a decision is made. Everyone's situation is dealt with differently and is unique to the individual. If you receive a DLA556 you have 4 weeks to complete it. You can call the DWP to ask for more time.

If you get any correspondence from the Department for Work & Pensions. DO NOT IGNORE it. Doing so may affect your benefit.

i-base funding withdrawn.

Posted FYI - http://www.i-base.org.uk

"STOP PRESS: i-Base funding withdrawn: urgent request for letters of support

As this issue of HTB went to press we learned that the London Health Commissioners have withdrawn funding for all i-Base projects.

For the last two years we have received £50k (just under 20% of our annual budget) towards the treatment phoneline and information services, adherence support publications (the BHIVA-recommended treatment passport) and treatment workshops.

Public funding stabilised the project sufficiently to continue to provide HIV Treatment Bulletin and the five i-Base treatment guides free to all individuals and clinics, and to run additional treatment workshops with community groups.

In retendering for services the London Commissioners declined to tender for any existing project and refuses to contribute towards the costs of any i-Base services...

No publications, no treatment workshops, no advocacy training, no phoneline support, no email services, no online Q&A services, no translations of treatment publications, no website.

• The i-Base phoneline has been provided expert peer-advocacy support for over five years, and have the cumulative experience from having spoken to thousands of individual patients.
• Over the last two years the UK-CAB has developed into a representative network of advocates and peer advocates.
• We have distributed thousands of treatment guides - ordered by request from clinics.

The commissioners think that no patients or clinics in London want or need these services.

We think this is unfair and is not reflective of the needs of London patients and clinics.

If you use or have used i-Base services as a London patient or clinic, please email letters of support to:
ray.appleby@kc-pct.nhs.uk
hong.tan@londonscg.nhs.uk

It would help us if you could copy any correspondence to:
simon.collins@i-Base.org.uk

i-Base employs three full-time and four part-time staff for all our projects. Five of the seven staff are HIV-positive. The funding decision, for which we are told there is no appeal, threatens these posts and the services we provide.

Thank you for your support..."

Positive Nation March Issue

The March edition of Positive Nation is out and available on line by clicking here.

This edition has an article on the Disability Living Allowance review.

If you subscribe to this magazine it should be with you in the post or in clinic, shortly.

We would like to thank the team at Positive Nation for covering the DLA in this issue.

Some good news.

Please click here to read some good news on a previous posting.

You will need to access the comments to see the result the lady has received following here review.

Unhappy with your local HIV Services.

Your local Primary Care Trust (PCT) and/or local Council commission local services for HIV. For example you may have a local charity that provides counselling or welfare advice for people with HIV.

You are a service user. Your views shape how these services are delivered.

You can submit compliments or complaints to your local PCT/Council giving your views on the services available in your area.

You can find your local PCT by clicking here. Enter your post code and select NHS Trusts from the drop down menu.

Any letter should be addressed to the "Commissioner for HIV Services".

EAS Rates

You maybe interested in this forum post from the Benefits & Work website concerning the rates of EAS when it comes in October 2008.

Click here.

Also you can see the Written Ministerial Statement from Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State (Employment & Welfare Reform) Department for Work & Pensions by clicking here.

Over the weekend I heard ....

Over the weekend I heard of another successful decision. Though this did go all the way through to the person having to complete a DLA556.

Whereas it is still difficult to gauge the fuller picture with so many still in the process. I would like to think that the work done by the team here & those in the background is making a positive difference.

Please let us know how you are getting on. It helps to build the bigger picture.

Remember everyones case is different. A decision that on person gets depends on their personal situation and may not necessarily apply in your case.

Our DWP DLA files arrived today.

Note: When the new blog and website are "bedded in I will cease posting to this site. In the interim,

A while ago. You will note if you scroll through the blog. We made a request under the auspices of the Data Protection Act. To the DWP for the information held on us in relation to the Disability Living Allowance (DLA). This comprised photocopied sheets and a printout from the system, mainly payment history. Some data, non medical, is missing and I will chase this.

I will work through this information and post accordingly over the next few days.

Bear in mind that I look at this data as a "lay person".

I note the following having "flicked" through.

• My data shows in handwritting that I was selected for the "Pilot".
• My partners file & mine have a sheet of A4 indicating the other is the partner
• My partners review, from the large print out is also being handled by the DLA Pilot team. Given the links to our files from each others it is likely he was chosen for review because I was selected for the pilot. There is a note that my partners case is also being looked at in my file and vice versa.
• The letter I wrote to Ann McGuire is part of my file and the subject of internal communication. The file was sent to the ministers office.
• Both our original awards comprised of only the "Personal Care" component awarded under "Special Rules". Mobility being different.
• The awards were "indefinately"
• When the DBD551 is submitted & a medical report received from your Doctor. A DBD520SR form is completed by a "Registered Practitioner". This is the opinion of the DWP medic on the information provided. Part 2 comprised two tick box answers. Signed off by a "Approved Disability Analyst".

1. 1st is "In my opinion, this person is still suffering from a progressive disease and their life expectancy is likely to be less than 6 months."
2. 2nd, and selected in my case "From the evidence available to me, it does not appear that this person is suffering from a progressive disease likely to limited life expectancy to less than 6 months." There is then a box for a further explaination. In our case this is limited to an opinion our HIV alone. In my case though I have a Viral Load, this is omitted. In my partners case both his Viral Load and CD4 are noted.

No other information, awaited. Has arrived in the post so far.