State pensioners face £1,300 fireplace fines after losing Winter Fuel Payment | Personal Finance | Finance

State pensioners turning to solid fuel burning like log burners this winter have been warned over potential fines of up to £1,300 in total if they use their fireplace or chimney.

Roughly 10 million state pensioners are set to lose their £300 Winter Fuel Payment this winter, coupled with a rise in Ofgem energy bills and the loss of a £300 Cost of Living payment as well.

As a result many will be exploring different ways of getting by, with log burners, fireplaces and solid fuels used by many as a way of avoiding the energy price rises hitting gas and electricity.

But households turning to these alternatives have been warned that they could face fines of up to £1,300 in total if they fall foul of the rules governing their use.

The government has warned that using the wrong type of fuel in your fireplace could land you a big £1,000 fine instantly

The government says: “You can be fined up to £1,000 if you buy unauthorised fuel to use in an appliance that’s not approved by Defra.

“If your appliance uses a chimney on the roof of a building (for example, a summerhouse), you can only burn authorised fuel unless it’s an exempt appliance.

“In a smoke control area you can only burn fuel on the list of authorised fuels, or any of the following ‘smokeless’ fuels, unless you’re using a Defra approved appliance: anthracite, semi-anthracite; gas; low volatile steam coal.”

Exempt appliances include some cookers, boilers and stoves – but not fireplace burners.

In England, there is a full list of the fuels that can be used in accordance with the Clean Air Act 1993, and also meet the Air Quality Domestic Solid Fuels Standards regulations of 2020.

If your solid fuel is not on this list, you cannot burn it in your fireplace if you live in a Smoke Control Area, which most people do.

If you live in England and you’re in a Smoke Control Area – which is most cities – you will be liable to pay a £300 fine if smoke comes out of your chimney and someone reports this.

The other £300 comes from a fine for using your chimney in a Smoke Control Area.

The government adds: “Many parts of the UK are smoke control areas where you cannot release smoke from a chimney, and you can only burn authorised fuel, unless you use an appliance approved by Defra (also known as an ‘exempt appliance’ or ‘Defra approved appliance.

“In England you may have to pay a penalty of up to £300 if your chimney releases smoke in a smoke control area.”

State pensioners turning to solid fuel burning like log burners this winter have been warned over potential fines of up to £1,300 in total if they use their fireplace or chimney.

Roughly 10 million state pensioners are set to lose their £300 Winter Fuel Payment this winter, coupled with a rise in Ofgem energy bills and the loss of a £300 Cost of Living payment as well.

As a result many will be exploring different ways of getting by, with log burners, fireplaces and solid fuels used by many as a way of avoiding the energy price rises hitting gas and electricity.

But households turning to these alternatives have been warned that they could face fines of up to £1,300 in total if they fall foul of the rules governing their use.

The government has warned that using the wrong type of fuel in your fireplace could land you a big £1,000 fine instantly

The government says: “You can be fined up to £1,000 if you buy unauthorised fuel to use in an appliance that’s not approved by Defra.“If your appliance uses a chimney on the roof of a building (for example, a summerhouse), you can only burn authorised fuel unless it’s an exempt appliance.

“In a smoke control area you can only burn fuel on the list of authorised fuels, or any of the following ‘smokeless’ fuels, unless you’re using a Defra approved appliance: anthracite, semi-anthracite; gas; low volatile steam coal.”

Exempt appliances include some cookers, boilers and stoves – but not fireplace burners.

In England, there is a full list of the fuels that can be used in accordance with the Clean Air Act 1993, and also meet the Air Quality Domestic Solid Fuels Standards regulations of 2020.

If your solid fuel is not on this list, you cannot burn it in your fireplace if you live in a Smoke Control Area, which most people do.

If you live in England and you’re in a Smoke Control Area – which is most cities – you will be liable to pay a £300 fine if smoke comes out of your chimney and someone reports this.

The other £300 comes from a fine for using your chimney in a Smoke Control Area.

The government adds: “Many parts of the UK are smoke control areas where you cannot release smoke from a chimney, and you can only burn authorised fuel, unless you use an appliance approved by Defra (also known as an ‘exempt appliance’ or ‘Defra approved appliance.

“In England you may have to pay a penalty of up to £300 if your chimney releases smoke in a smoke control area.”