More than £11,000 has been paid out to pensioners living in Basildon as part of the council’s warm home scheme to support residents this winter.

After the Labour Government cut the winter fuel allowance, Basildon Council allocated £100,000 to help 1,000 pensioner households across the borough.

As part of the “warm home guarantee” campaign - which gives households who qualify a one-off £100 grant - £11,200 has already been given to 112 pensioners since the launch on September 9.

More than £80,000 of the fund still remains available and Gavin Callaghan, leader of Basildon Council, has now urged hundreds of entitled residents to enrol in the scheme.

Mr Callaghan said: “I’m proud of the action we’ve taken in Basildon to enable vulnerable pensioners to keep their homes warm this winter.

“It’s vital that everyone in the community – especially if you have a friend, family member or neighbour who you think might be eligible for funding – hears about our Warm Home Guarantee.

“We’ve made good progress but I want all of this funding used to help people before the weather turns. There are still hundreds of pensioners who could be entitled to the full Winter Fuel Allowance this winter but aren’t enrolled in the scheme.

“I’m calling on everyone in the borough to make sure no-one who might be eligible goes without this winter.”

The Labour Government’s cut to the the winter fuel allowance limits the allowance to only those claiming pension credit or other means-tested benefits.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the squeeze as part of a series of measures aimed at filling what she called a £22 billion “black hole” in the public finances left by the Conservative government.

The council confirmed it has visited all 47 council-owned sheltered schemes, three community centres, and has also reached pensioners at libraries and via the Outreach bus, to make them aware of the support available.

It said hundreds of additional residents have been supported to apply for Pension Credit or advised of additional support through Housing benefit, Council Tax support, Discretionary housing payments and the Fuel poverty helpline.

The Triage Form on the council’s website helps assess eligibility for winter fuel support and hardship payments.

Visit basildon.gov.uk/Warm-Home-Guarantee for more.