Elderly can get help with winter fuel bills

Grants to help with winter fuel bills are being offered to elderly people living alone this winter.

The money is available to residents in the town of Kettering and Barton Seagrave who fit with the charity's criteria.

Applicants must not have more than £300 income per week, excluding benefits, they must be over the statutory retirement age of 66 and live alone.

The funding comes from Kettering Charities for the Poor, which has been running for decades and can trace its history back to the nineteenth century.

Kettering Town Councillor and Chairman of the Trustees , Cllr Lloyd Bunday, said: "This fuel grant can be a lifeline for people struggling with winter fuel bills. We are glad to be able to make a difference to people's lives in the coldest months of the year."

The scheme is run in partnership with Kettering Town Council and the grants are expected to be in the region of £60, subject to review at the end of the application period.

Applicants have until Thursday 30 November to return the form and have it approved, ahead of grants being made before Christmas.

The charity paid out 300 grants payments in 2022 – an increase of nearly 50% on the previous year. Successful applicants received a payment of £68 each, up from the £60 paid out in 2021.

Forms for this year's scheme are available from the reception of the NNC council offices in Bowling Green Road, Kettering, and online.