Thousands eligible for winter fuel support
Thousands of city families are eligible for a one-off payment of £100 from the Winter Fuel Support Scheme under plans unveiled by the Welsh Government.
It's been estimated around 30,000 households in Swansea will be able to claim the payment to help deal with the rising cost of on-grid gas and electricity this winter.
Rob Stewart, Leader of Swansea Council, said bill-payers can make on applications for the payment now on the Council's website and those eligible for the grant would be paid as quickly as possible.
He said: "We all know that winter is the toughest time for fuel bills and this year the challenge for hard-pressed, hard-working families has been even greater due to the overall increase in the cost of fuel.
"That's why we are pulling out all the stops to ensure that successful applicants will get paid as quickly as possible.
"Families should never have to be put in a position where they have to choose between paying soaring fuel bills or putting food on the table, especially during the winter.
"We are doing all we can to ease that pressure. For example, we have already written to around 14,000 households across the city who our records indicate will be eligible to apply, inviting them to make an application for the one-off payment.
"It's vital that people apply for the grant. If they don't, it can't be paid."
Cllr Stewart said: "Throughout the pandemic Swansea Council has been here for the people of Swansea, side-by-side with businesses, communities and families, supporting them through these unprecedented times.
"Over the last 20 months or so we've paid out more than £130m in support to businesses, helped the most vulnerable in our communities in their own homes and in social care, assisted community volunteers and agencies like food banks.
"We're boosting the council's community recovery fund with millions of pounds of investment in initiatives like play areas for children and food poverty grants for community-based charities.
"The Winter Fuel Support Payment will be a real lifeline to families struggling to make ends meet and we'd encourage those who believe they are eligible to put in their application as soon as possible.
Administering these grants for Welsh Government is another enormous task taken on by councils right across Wales. Our staff will be working as fast as possible to get the job done.
"But with such high numbers involved in Swansea alone, we ask for your patience so the extra staff we have drafted in to help can dedicate as much time as possible to processing the applications.
Under the scheme, households eligible to apply are those where the person who has to pay for the on-grid fuel for their home, or their partner, is entitled to Income Support, Income-Based Job Seekers' Allowance, Universal Credit, Working Tax Credits or Income-Related Employment and Support allowance at any time between 1st December 2021 and 31st January 2022.
Applications for the payment must be made by midnight on February 18, 2022
The online application form is on the council's website www.swansea.gov.uk/winterfuelsupport. Anyone who is eligible to apply for a Winter Fuel Support Payment, whether they are sent an invitation to claim the payment or not, can use it.
There's more information about the Winter Fuel Support Payment, including FAQs, here: www.swansea.gov.uk/winterfuelsupport