Communities minister Gordon Lyons has announced the payment date for the £100 fuel support payment for pensioner households.
The payment, which will be made to those who previously received the Winter Fuel Payment but are now no longer eligible, will start arriving with individuals from Friday, March 21.
The one-off payment has been made possible through £17million of Executive funding secured by Minister Lyons after changes by the Labour Government to Winter Fuel Payment eligibility.
The payment will be paid automatically into individual’s accounts from March 21 with no need for application.
Minister Lyons said: “Following the unexpected and unwelcome news last July that 180,000 pensioner households in Northern Ireland would no longer be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, I moved to secure Executive funding to mitigate the impact of the decision.
“Having tasked my officials to prepare the legislative and operational groundwork to enable this payment to be made as quickly as possible, I can announce that the money will be in people’s accounts ahead of the expected end-of-March date and will begin arriving from Friday, March 21.
“Whilst I realise the payment will not fully cover the impact of changes to the Winter Fuel Payment, I hope it will go some way to supporting those affected.”
An estimated 250,000 pensioners, in approximately 180,000 households, who were set to lose out after the UK government’s decision to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment, will receive the automatic payment. Eligibility criteria and payment channels will be those previously used for WFPs. Two qualifying individuals in the same pensioner household will each receive £50.
Eligibility criteria for care home residents will also apply. Further information on the Pension Age Fuel Support Payment is available on the nidirect website at www.nidirect.gov.uk/pensionagefuelsupportpayment.
Minister Lyons added: “As Minister for Communities I have stated my determination to ensure that those who are most in need are supported. The Pension Age Fuel Support payment is testament to that commitment.
“Whilst the budgetary situation is challenging for all, I will take whatever actions possible to direct resources to where they are most needed.
“I would also encourage people to avail of my Department’s Make the Call service which can put people in touch with benefits and supports to which they are entitled but not receiving. Pension Credit in particular can provide access to a range of supports.
“This is especially important to our older generations so I would encourage everyone to ‘make the call’.”
Pensioners must have been born before 23 September 1958 in the qualifying week (Monday 16 September to Sunday 22 September 2024) to be eligible for the one-off £100 payment.
If there are more than two eligible claimants in the same household, they will each receive a £50 payment.
