The Republic of Ireland allows pensioners the standing charge plus so many units per billing period free (or at least it did last time I read anything about it -- they could take an equivalent allowance against gas if preferred).

The U.K. provides pensioners with a flat one-off winter fuel allowance:
http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/winterfuel/home.asp

(Of course, they wouldn't need it if the government wasn't taking so much in tax in the first place..... [Linked Image] )