Older people who won’t receive a Winter Fuel Payment but who qualify for Council Tax Reduction (and not Pension Credit) will receive a letter in late December or early January.

The payment will be automatically sent to eligible households in a letter that can be cashed at the Post Office. Find out more about these payments.

The payments are being funded by Sandwell’s Household Support Fund (HSF) programme. HSF is money given to councils by the Government’s Department for Work and Pensions to help people in need of financial support. 
 
Sandwell Council has received £3.4million in HSF funding to help residents for the period until March 2025.

The funding will also be used to:

• continue to provide Welcoming Spaces across Sandwell,
• support families eligible for free school meals,
• financially support food banks, food pantries, foster carers, special guardians and care leavers,
• extend the council’s Holiday Activities and Food programme,
• financially support council tenants and private tenants who are struggling with the cost of living and to fund discretionary payments for people struggling to pay their Council Tax bill.

Eligible pensioners will receive a letter in the post. These will be issued automatically, so there is no need to apply.

Leader of Sandwell Council Councillor Kerrie Carmichael said: “We are committed to helping pensioners on low incomes cope at what we all know is an expensive time of year.

“These payments will support households with people of pension age who aren’t eligible for Pension Credit, but who we know have a lower income than most because they receive help with their Council Tax bill.

“I would urge anyone who is looking for help to visit our Supporting Sandwell information hub where there’s lots of advice and information available. Seek help as early as you can – getting help sooner rather than later can save you from more worry in the long run.”

Visit our Household Support Fund webpage to find out how the council is using HSF money on a wide range of programmes to support people in Sandwell.

For anyone experiencing exceptional financial hardship, applications for crisis payments can be made through our Local Welfare Provision scheme.

For details of all the support available for all households across Sandwell go to our Supporting Sandwell information hub.