07 June 2012
The newly introduced bonus is for pensioner households with incomes above the level of Income Support but below income tax thresholds. It is available to pensioners aged 65 and above who own or rent their own home and are receiving a Jersey old age pension.
From now on, the Cold Weather Bonus will be paid twice a year: once in January for the months October to December, and then again in May for the months January to April. 918 payments with a total value of £156,000 were made last month and letters have been sent explaining the allocation of the payments.
The Minister for Social Security, Senator Francis Le Gresley, said “The States approved this new measure to help pensioners during periods of cold weather and I am pleased the bonus payments have now been made covering January to April 2012. Pensioner households receiving Income Support already receive help with regular cold weather payments. This new bonus extends support with heating costs to a wider group of pensioners.”
The value of the bonus was set according to the average daily temperatures between January and April 2012 and amounted to £170.61 per qualifying household.