Gwynedd Council is urging people who will struggle to pay winter fuel bills to apply for help.

Eligible households in Wales can apply to the Winter Fuel Support Scheme to claim a one-off £100 payment to provide support towards paying their winter fuel bills.

"The Winter Fuel Support Scheme is open to households where one member is in receipt of working age means-tested welfare benefits," a Gwynedd Council spokesperson said.

"The payment will be available to all eligible households regardless of whether they pay for their fuel on a pre-payment meter, by direct debit or by paying a bill quarterly."

An eligible household for this scheme is defined below:

Single Person:

• You apply to the scheme on or before 18 February 2022

• You are responsible for paying the fuel bills at your property

• You are in receipt of a qualifying working age means-tested welfare benefit at any time between 1 December 2021 and 31 January 2022 – Income Support, or Income Based Job Seekers Allowance, or Income Related Employment and Support Allowance, or Universal Credit, or Working Tax Credits

• You have not received a payment under the scheme before

Household:

• You or your partner apply to the scheme on or before 18 February 2022

• You, your partner, or both of you are responsible for paying the fuel bills at your property

• You, your partner, or both of you are in receipt of a qualifying working age means-tested welfare benefit at any time between 1 December 2021 and 31 January 2022 – Income Support, or Income Based Job Seekers Allowance, or Income Related Employment and Support Allowance, or Universal Credit, or Working Tax Credits

•You or your partner have not received a payment under the scheme before

All applications must be received on or before 18 February.

Payments for successful applications will be made from January through to end of March 2022.

If you are experiencing severe financial hardship you may wish to make a claim to the Discretionary Assistance Fund at https://gov.wales/discretionary-assistance-fund-daf