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This Disability Alliance factsheet is a basic introduction to the help with heating available. You can find out more information about this and any other help you can receive in Disability Rights UK's Disability Rights Handbook, available to buy at www.radar-shop.org.uk/
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There are a number of government funded schemes across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, which provide help with heating.
In England you can get help under the Warm Front scheme if you live in a household with poor thermal efficiency and you are in receipt of certain means tested benefits. You can grants worth up to £3,500 (£6,000 where oil central heating and other alternative technologies are recommended) for improvements such as:
For more information or to claim you can call 0800 316 2805 (or textphone 0800 072 0156). or go to the DirectGov website at http://tinyurl.com/3oagrhh.
In Northern Ireland the Warm Homes scheme provides insulation and heating grants to owner occupiers and private tenants who are in receipt of a qualifying benefit. This includes:
Under Warm Homes Plus you can offers insulation and heating measures to households which have Economy 7, Solid Fuel, Bottled Gas / LPG or no system at all.
For enquiries and applications, ring 0800 988 0559 or go to the Warm Homes website at www.warm-homes.com/.
If you are an owner occupier/private tenant and are over 60 you may be able to get a replacement heating boiler if your existing boiler is more than 15 years old and is inefficient. To get this Boiler Replacement Allowance, you must be an owner occupier or a private tenant who is over 60 and in receipt of either Rate Relief (but not Housing Benefit) or Lone Pensioner Allowance (this is an allowance for ratepayers aged 70 or over).
You can find out more information about the scheme and how to apply by calling 03448 920 900 or from the NI Direct website at http://tinyurl.com/6d5pr7k.
In Scotland the Energy Assistance Package aims to help maximise incomes, reduce fuel bills and improve energy efficiency in homes. If you are on a qualifying benefit and are over 60 or have children you may be able to get help with the following:
For more information ring the Energy Saving Trust Advice Line (0800 512 012) or go to the Scottish Government website at http://tinyurl.com/lg4kdd.
In Wales there is a new Fuel Poverty Programme, called ‘Nest’, managed by British Gas and the Energy Saving Trust. For more information call 0800 512 012.
If you live in England Scotland or Wales you can get £120 rebate on your electricity bill in winter 2011/12 as part of the Warm Home Discount Scheme.
You can get this if you or your partner are on the the guarantee element of pension credit pension and your energy supplier is participating in the scheme.
Your energy supplier can also choose to give you the £120 rebate even if you don’t receive guarantee credit if you are on certain benefits. For more information contact your local electricity supplier or visit the DirectGov website at http://tinyurl.com/32pf359.
The social fund provides cold weather and winter fuel payments. For information on these schemes see our Factsheet F41 - the social fund.
The Home Heat Helpline (www.homeheathelpline.org) offers help and advice for anyone living in England, Scotland and Wales.
The line advises on payment methods, grants and benefits such as winter fuel payments, cold weather payments, pension credits, disability benefits and age related payments.
Advisers will also offer help on how to stay healthy in cold weather and how to conserve heat.
The Home Heat Helpline telephone number is 0800 33 66 99. It is free to call and is open from 9am–8pm Monday to Friday and 10am–2pm on Saturdays.
There is also a free Minicom number, which is 0800 027 2122.
The Energy Saving Trust (www.energysavingtrust.org.uk) has a network of local advice centres throughout the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland (www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/northernireland) as well as online information. You can request a call back from your local advice centre by calling 0800 512 012.
You can get help and information at your local advice centre, such as a Citizens Advice Bureau. You can get more information about where to get personal advice from our Factsheet F15 - Finding a local advice centre.
This Disability Alliance factsheet is a basic introduction to the help with heating available. You can find out more information about this and any other help you can receive in Disability Rights UK's Disability Rights Handbook.
All our publications are available at www.disabilityalliance.org/shop.htm. You can also place an order by contacting Disability Rights UK on 020 7247 8776 (this is not an advice line) or by fax on 020 7247 8765. All our factsheets are available at www.disabilityalliance.org/fact.htm.
26 September 2011
