FORMER miners – including those in the Warrington area – are being offered a £200 grant to help them cope with the rise in fuel costs this year.
CISWO – the coal mining charity – has launched the scheme to provide some support towards combatting the huge hike in the energy price cap which came into effect in April.
The one-off grant will be available to former coal miners, or their partners or widows, who are identified as being particularly vulnerable due to being on a low income, live in their own home and are responsible for paying for energy costs.
It is also only available to those former mineworkers who have ten years’ service in the industry or those whose last place of work was in the industry. Only one grant is available per household.
The price rises will see millions of people having to pay around £700 more each year to heat their homes.
And with former miners often suffering from health issues, poor mobility and managing on low incomes, they may be disproportionately impacted by the changes.
Many former miners at Parkside Colliery, Newton-le-Willows and other nearby pits, live in the Warrington area.
Nicola Didlock, chief executive at CISWO, said: “We are very aware that many of our beneficiaries are vulnerable and susceptible to the cold, especially those on low incomes and trying to cope with ill-health, mobility issues and older properties to maintain.
“We want to ensure that those individuals are identified and supported to keep warm and healthy, particularly during the colder months as the energy price rise begins to impact those most affected.”
CISWO’s Personal Welfare team will be identifying people in need and supporting them to get the help they are entitled to. As well as the CISWO grant, they will help people to obtain other financial aid and subsidies from the government.
The team will also be on hand to provide information about other support on offer from CISWO for former coal miners and their dependants, including:
•Confidential home visiting service
•Advocacy, information, advice and guidance
•Emotional support
•Benefit applications
•Access to mobility equipment
•Reducing loneliness and isolation
•Access to holidays and convalescence
For more information about claiming the £200 CISWO grant, visit www.ciswo.org.uk or call 01977 703 384.
