Welsh Government Winter Fuel Support Scheme – September 2022

For details of the scheme click here

Cost of living support payment – now closed

Welsh Government has announced that a £150 cost of living payment is to be made to all occupiers of properties that are in bands A, B, C and D, along with those that receive council tax reduction (formerly known as council tax benefit), regardless of what band their property is in (A to I).

The £150 is a payment to help with the rising cost of all utility bills.

Every household that qualifies will receive a payment, even if you don’t pay council tax because you receive council tax reduction.

There will be ONE payment per eligible household.

Empty properties and second homes are NOT eligible for a payment, only properties that were occupied on the 15^th February 2022.

How will I get my payment?

First stage of payments – now closed

If you were paying your council tax by direct debit on the 15^th February 2022 you will have already received a payment direct to your bank account.

Second stage of payments – now closed

If you weren’t paying your council tax by direct debit on the 15^th February 2022, you were invited to complete an online registration form to receive the cost of living payment.  These payments have all now been made.

Third stage of payments – now closed

Eligible households who hadn’t received a payment at either stage one or two were issued a Post Office Voucher.  These expired on 30^th September 2022 when the scheme closed.

Uncashed Post Office Vouchers – now closed

If you received a Post Office Voucher and didn’t cash this by 30^th September 2022, the £150 will be paid into your council tax account, where it will offset any balance outstanding.  However, we will be writing to everyone that this applies to, giving you one final opportunity to receive this as a bank payment.  To do so, you will need to complete the Cost of Living Support Scheme 2022 online form by 7th December 2022. (Please note you will need your council tax number and bank details to complete this). 

Cost of living payment – Discretionary Scheme

The Welsh Government has provided additional funding to each local authority to enable them to provide support under a discretionary scheme, to help households considered to be in need of assistance with their living costs.

Monmouthshire Council agreed on 29th June 2022, that the discretionary scheme fund will be used to support households that meet the criteria in one of the categories below:

A £150 payment will be made to a household where:

• The person liable for Council tax lives in the property as their main or primary residence on 15 February 2022 or moved to receive care or provide care and
• Is not eligible for a payment from the main Cost of Living scheme as detailed above and
• Receives a 100% Council Tax exemption for one of the following reasons:

Exemption Class U  –All residents are severe mentally impaired
Exemption Class W –Occupied annexes (often known as ‘granny flats’)
Exemption Class X –Are care leavers who are 18 or over but have not yet reached the age of 25
Exemption Class I –The property is unoccupied as the liable person is absent from the property as they are receiving care elsewhere, but not in a care home.
Exemption Class J –The property is unoccupied as the liable person is absent from the property as they are providing personal care to another person elsewhere.
Exemption Class N – The property is occupied by students.

Exemption Class S – occupied only by persons under the age of 18 who live independently and therefore, if over the age of 18 would be liable for the Council Tax and are responsible for the utility and other household bills.

As with the main scheme, we can pay some people automatically, as we already hold their bank details, all others will need to apply.  Payments for accounts we already hold direct debit details for will be made by the 2^nd September 2022.  Recipients will receive a letter confirming when the payment has been made.

Where we do not hold current direct debit details, invite letters will be issued and should be received by the 9^th September 2022.  Once received, you will need to use your unique access code given on your letter to complete a short online application form here: Discretionary Scheme registration form  

A £150 payment will also be made to households:

• In receipt of a disability band reduction in council tax bands F to I and therefore not in receipt of payment from the main scheme.  You will also be sent an invite letter by 9^th September 2022 which will give you a unique access code to complete your application using the Discretionary Scheme registration form
• who have been placed in temporary accommodation in Monmouthshire by Monmouthshire County Council.  Those eligible will be contacted directly by Monmouthshire County Council.
• with a child in receipt of a Free School Meal payment in February 2022 who has their sole or main residence in Monmouthshire.  Payments were made directly to recipients’ bank accounts on 13^th July 2022.