Still time to apply for Inverness winter payment

Application form

People on low income of all ages and not just pensioners can apply for a one-off payment of £79 from the City of Inverness Area Committee 2015/16 winter payments scheme to help them with their winter fuel bills.

Provost and Leader of the City of Inverness Councillor Helen Carmichael said: “The winter payments scheme is designed to benefit members of our community who are most in need of financial support during the winter, when extra fuel is needed.

“Although we had a very mild start to winter - I would still encourage anyone eligible who might benefit to apply. We are pleased that those households who qualified for a payment last year, whose circumstances have not changed, will automatically receive payment again this year without the need to apply.”

The winter payment is a one-off £79.

The scheme is open to residents within the Wards of Aird and Loch Ness, Inverness West, Inverness Central, Inverness Ness-side, Inverness Millburn, Culloden and Ardersier and Inverness South.

To qualify, any of the following must apply to the applicant:

• aged 90 or older on or before 28 February 2016 irrespective of savings; or

• receive a Scottish Welfare Fund Crisis Grant Payment between 1 December 2015 and 28 February 2016.
• receive Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit).
• have a child/children under the age of five and are in receipt of Income Support; Income Based Jobseekers Allowance; Universal Credit; or Income Based Employment and Support Allowance.

• In receipt of:

o Pension Credit (Savings Credit),

o Income Support,

o Income-based Jobseekers Allowance,

o Income-related Employment and Support Allowance,

o Incapacity Benefit; and also someone who live in the household receives:

• Attendance Allowance,
• Middle or high rate Disability Living Allowance (care component),
• War Widow’s or War Widower’s pension,
• Personal Independence payment (daily-living component),
• Armed Forces Independence payment.

In addition, applicants must be able to confirm that there are no residents in the household in receipt of a wage either now or in the last 6 months or with capital in excess of £6,000. Only one application per household will be accepted. 

Application forms are available from the Town House, Church Street Service Point in Inverness and the Service Point in Fort Augustus or by telephoning the Council’s Customer Income Maximisation Team on 0800 090 1004.

The deadline for return of application forms is 28 February 2016.

They should be returned by post to The Highland Council, FREEPOST RRXJ-GGJX-CRYR, PO Box 5650, Inverness, IV3 5NX.