Age UK urges older people to claim help with heating costs
Published on 01 March 2018 02:37 PM
Age UK is urging older people to make sure they’re claiming the benefits available to help with their heating costs. Most older people will have received the Winter Fuel Payment already this winter but Age UK is urging those who haven’t to check their eligibility and make a claim before the deadline on 31st March 2018.
In addition, all Pension Credit recipients will automatically receive a Cold Weather Payment if the criteria is met. Yet official figures show that over a million older people who are eligible for Pension Credit are not claiming it – missing out on valuable extra weekly income as well as Cold Weather Payments. The Charity is urging all older people who are living on a low income but not receiving Pension Credit to find out if they’re eligible for extra support.
Research shows that exposure to the cold can have a devastating impact on the health of older people, who are particularly vulnerable to the impact of low temperatures. As people get older it takes longer to warm up which can be bad for people’s health. The cold can also increase blood pressure which increases the risk of stroke and heart attack, and breathing in cold air can increase the risk of chest infections.