Is this misinformation from the Director of Smart Energy GB this morning or have I got it wrong?

kissngate she referred to it as the £650 cost of living payment and said it would be paid to pensioners and they should have already received half of it. She made no mention of the qualifying criteria of being in receipt of disability benefits or pension credit. She stated it is being paid to pensioners. She should have made it clear that pensioners whose sole income is their state pension do not qualify for the £650 cost of living payment.

GNW - hands up I haven't listened to VB so may have misinterpreted what she said. However having read again the info on the govt website I think you are wrong with regard winter fuel payments. All pensioners 66+ will receive a £500 or £600 winter fuel payment in November. An additional payment of £150 is/has being paid to those claiming disability allowance. My friend 82 who I help with online payments does not claim any benefits. She has a basic state pension plus a couple of pension annuities. She will receive in November a winter fuel payment of £600 and British Gas are paying into her bank £66/67 pm (Oct-March) towards energy costs. On top of this she received £150 in September from the Council towards her bills as her bungalow is Band B.

Re my post above, apologies I should have said the £500/600 payment is per HOUSEHOLD not pp. This does make a difference if she inferred every pensioner would receive the payment.

Personally, I think Disability Benefit should be means tested. I know 2 people, who use this money to fund their family abroad, because they really are quite ‘well off’…… 4 private pensions, which she hardly uses plus DB.

kissngate the £650 cost of living payment she was referring to is a separate issue from the winter fuel payments. She said pensioners will receive the £650 in addition to winter fuel payments. Unless I’ve completely lost the plot ( which is possible) those who qualify for this £650 cost of living payment must be in receipt of disability benefits or if on state pension must qualify for pension credit. I have full state pension so don’t qualify for pension credit. I’ve read it through on the govt website and also Age.uk and I don’t fall into the qualifying categories. But I’ll be delighted if I’ve got it wrong!

Grannynannywanny

Victoria Bacon was interviewed on BBC Breakfast this morning to participate in a discussion about the energy crisis. She stated that in addition to the £400 payment there will be an additional £650 paid to pensioners.

I thought this was only payable to those in receipt of pension credit or disability related benefits? She made no reference to any qualifying criteria and stated it would be paid to pensioners.

*Pensioner Households will get*:
£400 Energy Support Bills Support Scheme*
£300 Pensioner Cost of Living**

Low Income Pensioners will get
£400 Energy Support Bills Support Scheme*
£300 Pensioner Cost of Living**
£650 Cost of Living Payment*

Low Income Disabled Pensioners will get
£400 Energy Support Bills Support Scheme*
£300 Pensioner Cost of Living**
£650 Cost of Living Payment*
£150 Disability Cost of Living Payment**

*Everyone gets this credited direct to their energy bill over six months from October.
**Paid automatically to households that already qualify for the Winter-Fuel Payment
*Paid in two parts for those on means tested benefits
Paid directly to none means-tested disability recipients

* Paid in two parts for those on means tested benefits
**Paid directly to none means-tested disability recipients

Stars disappeared.

As others have said Winter Fuel Payment is separate from the Cost of Living/Energy Support payments.

You can see them here: www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/how-much-youll-get

I am having problems with the stars. They go one star, two stars, three stars, four stars in the explanation.

£650 is three stars and £150 is four stars. I have no idea what is eating them

I'm having a problem with the smart meter.
It keeps telling us off we are exceeding the budget yet it's only the start of autumn.

It came without an explanatory booklet so now I'm off to search online.

Thank you DaisyAnne. You’ve confirmed my understanding of the criteria for the £650 cost of living payment. Thankfully, I’m not disabled so not in receipt of any disability benefits. My sole income is new state pension but as I receive it in full I don’t qualify for pension credit.
So no pension credit=no £650 cost of living payment despite Victoria Bacon suggesting on tv yesterday that it was being paid to all pensioners. She made no reference to any qualifying criteria such as pension credit or disability benefits.