Provost urges people to apply for Inverness winter payment

Download the application form here.

People on low income of all ages and not just pensioners can apply for a one-off payment of £79 from the City of Inverness Area Committee 2016/17 winter payments scheme to help them with their winter fuel bills.

Provost and Leader of the City of Inverness Councillor Helen Carmichael said: “The winter payments scheme is designed to benefit members of our community who are most in need of financial support during winter, when extra fuel is needed.

“I would urge people who live in the City of Inverness and the Landward areas of the seven City Wards who satisfy the eligibility criteria to apply for and claim the one-off winter payment of £79 that they are entitled to.”

The scheme is open to residents within the Wards of Aird and Loch Ness, Inverness West, Inverness Central, Inverness Ness-side, Inverness Millburn, Culloden and Ardersier and Inverness South.

To qualify for the one-off £79 winter payment, any of the following must apply to the applicant:

• aged 90 or older on or before 28 February 2017 irrespective of savings; or
• receive a Scottish Welfare Fund Crisis Grant Payment between 1 December 2016 and 28 February 2017;
• receive Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit);
• have a child/children under the age of five and are in receipt of Income Support; Income Based Jobseekers Allowance; Universal Credit; or Income Based Employment and Support Allowance;
• In receipt of:
  • Pension Credit (Savings Credit),
  • Income Support,
  • Income-based Jobseekers Allowance,
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance,
  • Incapacity Benefit; and also someone who live in the household receives:
    • Attendance Allowance,
    • Middle or high rate Disability Living Allowance (care component),
    • War Widow’s or War Widower’s pension,
    • Personal Independence payment (daily-living component),
    • Armed Forces Independence payment.

In addition, applicants must be able to confirm that there are no residents in the household in receipt of a wage either now or in the last 6 months or with capital in excess of £6,000. This does not apply if you will be aged 90 or over on or before 28 February 2017 or if you received a Scottish Welfare Fund Crisis Grant Payment between 1December 2016 to 28 February 2017.  Only one application per household will be accepted. 

Application forms are available from the Town House, local Service Points, Council HQ, local Citizens Advice Bureau or by telephoning the Council’s Welfare Support Team on 0800 090 1004.

The deadline for return of application forms is 28 February 2017.

Forms should be returned by post to The Highland Council, FREEPOST RRXJ-GGJX-CRYR, PO Box 5650, Inverness, IV3 5NX