State pensioners face £1,300 chimney fine after losing winter fuel payment | Personal Finance | Finance

State pensioners who switch to burning solid fuels such as wood stoves this winter have been warned of potential fines of up to £1,300 for using their fireplace or chimney.

Around 10 million state pensioners are set to lose their £300 heating allowance this winter, on top of rising energy bills from Ofgem and the loss of a £300 living allowance.

As a result, many are looking for other ways to make ends meet. Many are turning to wood stoves, fireplaces and solid fuels to escape rising energy prices for gas and electricity.

However, households resorting to these alternatives have been warned that they face fines of up to £1,300 if they breach the rules governing their use.

The government warns that using the wrong fuel in your fireplace could result in an instant hefty fine of £1,000.

The government explains: “You could be fined up to £1,000 if you buy unapproved fuel for use in an appliance that is not approved by Defra.”

“If your appliance uses a chimney on the roof of a building (e.g. a garden shed), you must only burn approved fuel unless it is an exempted appliance.

“In a smoke controlled area you must only burn fuels from the approved fuel list or any of the following ‘smokeless’ fuels unless you are using a Defra approved appliance: anthracite, semi-anthracite, gas, low volatile steam coal.”

Excluded from this are some stoves, boilers and ovens, but not fireplace burners.

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

If your solid fuel is not on this list, you are not allowed to burn it in your fireplace unless, as most people do, you live in a smoke control zone.

If you live in England and are in a smoke control zone – which is most towns and cities – you will be fined £300 if you see smoke coming from your chimney and someone reports it.

The other £300 is a fine for using your chimney in a smoke control area.

The government adds: “Many parts of the UK have smoke control zones where smoke must not be vented from a chimney and only approved fuels can be burned unless you are using a Defra approved appliance (also known as an ‘exempt appliance’ or ‘Defra approved appliance’).

“In England, you may be fined up to £300 if smoke is emitted from your chimney in a smoke control area.”

State pensioners who switch to burning solid fuels such as wood stoves this winter have been warned of potential fines of up to £1,300 for using their fireplace or chimney.

Around 10 million state pensioners are set to lose their £300 heating allowance this winter, on top of rising energy bills from Ofgem and the loss of a £300 living allowance.

As a result, many are looking for other ways to make ends meet. Many are turning to wood stoves, fireplaces and solid fuels to escape rising energy prices for gas and electricity.

However, households resorting to these alternatives have been warned that they face fines of up to £1,300 if they breach the rules governing their use.

The government warns that using the wrong fuel in your fireplace could result in an instant hefty fine of £1,000.

The government states: “You could be fined up to £1,000 if you buy unapproved fuel for use in an appliance that is not approved by Defra.” If your appliance uses a chimney on the roof of a building (such as a garden shed), you must only burn approved fuel unless it is an exempt appliance.

“In a smoke controlled area you must only burn fuels from the approved fuel list or any of the following ‘smokeless’ fuels unless you are using a Defra approved appliance: anthracite, semi-anthracite, gas, low volatile steam coal.”

Excluded from this are some stoves, boilers and ovens, but not fireplace burners.

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

If your solid fuel is not on this list, you are not allowed to burn it in your fireplace unless, as most people do, you live in a smoke control zone.

If you live in England and are in a smoke control zone – which is most towns and cities – you will be fined £300 if you see smoke coming from your chimney and someone reports it.

The other £300 is a fine for using your chimney in a smoke control area.

The government adds: “Many parts of the UK have smoke control zones where smoke must not be vented from a chimney and only approved fuels can be burned unless you are using a Defra approved appliance (also known as an ‘exempt appliance’ or ‘Defra approved appliance’).

“In England, you may be fined up to £300 if smoke is emitted from your chimney in a smoke control area.”