COUNCIL bosses have unveiled plans to spend £800,000 expanding the help available to pensioners in Inverclyde who are facing unaffordable heating bills this winter.

Officials in Inverclyde want to give a £200 council tax credit to around 1,300 households in Inverclyde this winter, using cash from the local authority’s anti-poverty fund.

The proposals come after the UK and Scottish Governments elected earlier this year to reduce the scope of the annual winter fuel payment, for which all but the poorest pensioners are no longer eligible.

Councillors will be asked to approve the plan when they meet next week.

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A report to the authority's policy and resources committee states: “The on-going impact of fuel poverty has been a regular issue raised by elected members as part of the regular anti-poverty reports to the policy and resources committee with the last meeting agreeing to extend the Warm Hand of Friendship funding for a further three years at a total cost of £360,000.

“Announcements by the UK Government and thereafter the Scottish Government regarding changes in the scope of the Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) and Pension Age Winter Fuel Payment (PAWFP), have increased focus on this matter.

“Considering the above, and with approximately £800,000 remaining to be allocated from the anti-poverty fund, officers have developed a proposal for committee to consider.

“If the proposal is agreed, then this would utilise the majority of the unallocated funds in the anti-poverty fund over a two-year period.

“Elected members need to be aware that this initiative is time limited as it uses council reserves and is not a universal provision but rather, remains targeted to those households of pensionable age assessed to be in highest need of support.”

The new credit would target pension age households who don't receive one of the seven benefits that would qualify them for the revised winter fuel payment.

These benefits are child tax credit, employment and support allowance, income support, jobseeker's allowance, pension credit guarantee credit, pension credit savings credit, universal credit and working tax credit.

Under the council's plans, the £200 council tax credit will be applied to all eligible households' accounts before Christmas.

That will mean lower council tax payments for the rest of the year, freeing up cash to cover winter fuel costs.

Officers are also proposing that the local authority write to 200 pension age households in Inverclyde which are exempt from paying council tax due to all chargeable adults being classed as ‘severely mentally impaired’ and, where required, ask for the necessary evidence of their qualification.

The council anticipates that around 120-130 of the households will need to provide this information.

In their report, officials say that while there will be extra administration for the local authority’s revenues and benefits team in relation to the proposal, they believe the initiative can be rolled out without impacting the council’s other work.

Officers are currently suggesting that the proposals are only applied for the winter of 2024 at this state to allow officers to consider ways that support could be accessed by non-pension age households in fuel poverty in winter 2025.

Elected members will decide whether to back the proposal at the next policy and resources committee meeting on November 19.