The Commissioner’s latest briefing sets out the action she is calling for from the Welsh Government to help tackle the cost of fuel crisis for older people:
Widen the Winter Fuel Support Scheme
The Welsh Government must change the eligibility for its Winter Fuel Support Scheme to ensure that older people claiming Pension Credit have the financial support they desperately need to ensure they can heat their homes and keep themselves safe and well this winter.
Increase the take-up of Pension Credit
The Welsh Government should take immediate action to promote Pension Credit to older people through a national TV, radio, and press campaign and work with local authorities and others to identify those individuals most likely to be eligible and provide them with the support they need to claim their entitlements.
Address the wider causes of fuel poverty
The Welsh Government should focus on a rapid expansion of programmes to improve the fuel and energy efficiency of older people’s homes, and press the UK Government to look at ways to reduce the costs of energy and raise the level of the Winter Fuel Payment and other support, such as Pension Credit.
