Preston pensioners could be in line for a £100 boost from the Town Hall.
As part of a £1million package of cost of living measures put in place by Preston City Council’s Labour administration.
One of the measures included up to £100 per household for pensioners to be assisted with the cost of food and fuel.
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Any pensioner who currently receives council tax support but is not in receipt of pension credit could qualify.
Council leader councillor Matthew Brown was quizzed on the council’s cost of living package during the full council meeting last week.
He confirmed 1,100 pensioners were being written to who may be eligible to claim the one-off payment. – although individuals do not need to wait for a letter to arrive.
Cllr Brown said: “There is still work needed to deliver both the £100 payments to low-income pensioners alongside the process to exempt terminally ill families from paying council tax.
“In terms of the £100 payments for less well-off pensioners. Letters are going out to 1100 residents who may be eligible to encourage uptake.
“These are individuals who are on council tax support but not pension credit so missed winter fuel payments a year ago before government changed the criteria.
“I would encourage all members to encourage uptake in your individual wards.”
Applications for the pensioners uplift can be made via filing in a form on the city council website. The application can also be made by someone else on the applicant’s behalf, as long as the bank details submitted belong to the pensioner receiving the support.
Other elements of the cost of living package introduced in October last year included a one-off payment to all households affected by the two-child benefit cap (although the government has since confirmed it is lifting the cap from April this year). 1,567 households have been handed the money, with a total of £31,000, since the support began – an average of £191 per eligible household.
The city council has also introduced free swimming for children under-18, adults in low income households and pensioners in conjunction with Better Leisure who operate Fulwood and West View leisure centres.
During the council meeting, where the Labour administration’s budget was passed, included a commitment for another £1million of cost of living measures although no details have yet been released of which of the measures will be continued or if new ones will be introduced instead.
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