The UK Government has announced that nine million pensioners will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, with the average payment set to reach £300.
Caroline Abrahams CBE, Charity Director at Age UK, welcomed the announcement, stating: 'The Government's Winter Fuel Payment announcement makes this a better December for hundreds of thousands of older people who were facing a really difficult winter.'
The Winter Fuel Payment is an annual payment made to eligible pensioners to help with heating costs during the colder months. It is designed to support low-income pensioners who may struggle to pay for heating bills.
The payment is made tax-free and is usually paid automatically to eligible pensioners in November or December. However, pensioners do not need to apply for the payment, and it is not means-tested.
Age UK has long campaigned for the Winter Fuel Payment to be increased, and the charity has welcomed the Government's decision to raise the payment to £300.
However, the Liberal Democrats have criticised the Government's decision, stating that the payment is still too low and that more needs to be done to support vulnerable pensioners.