Eligible Winter Fuel Payment benefits
You can qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment this year if you were born before 23rd September 1958 and live in Scotland, England, or Wales while receiving one of the specified benefits. In certain circumstances, you may be eligible even if you live abroad:
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income Support
- Working Tax or Child Tax Credits
When you won’t be eligible
You won’t be eligible if:
- Are not in receipt of one of the means-tested benefits listed above
- Have been in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year
- Need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave says that you cannot claim public funds
- Were in prison for the whole of the qualifying week of September 16 to 22, 2024
How much Winter Fuel Payment you’ll receive
If you live alone, you’ll receive either:
- £200 if you were born between September 23, 1944 and September 22, 1958
- £300 if you were born before September 23, 1944
If you live with someone and jointly claim any of the benefits, one of you will receive a payment of either:
- £200 if both of you were born between September 23, 1944 and September 22, 1958
- £300 if one or both of you were born before September 23, 1944
If you live in a care home and are eligible, you’ll receive either:
- £100 if you were born between September 23, 1944 and September 22, 1958
- £150 if you were born before September 23, 1944
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is poised to extend a lifeline to state pensioners born before a specific date, offering a complimentary £200 payment to aid them during the chillier months. Those who are eligible and meet the necessary criteria stand to gain a £200 boost from the DWP this winter.
State pensioners born between September 23, 1944 and September 22, 1958 will be entitled to the £200 Winter Fuel Payment if they live alone, as per the DWP’s guidelines. Meanwhile, those born on or before September 22, 1944 may receive an increased sum of £300.
Couples who jointly claim any benefits will qualify for a single payment: £200 if either partner was born in the specified period from September 1944 to September 1958, or £300 if either was born before September 23, 1944.
Beneficiaries will receive payments directly into the bank account where they usually get their benefits. For care home residents, eligibility criteria remain unchanged, with entitlements to either £200 or £300 based on their birth date.
The Labour Party leadership’s decision to postpone the debate and vote on reducing the winter fuel allowance has ignited a firestorm of criticism, with Unite’s Andy Green branding it “an outrage”. He remarked: “This is simply an attempt to take out the debate on the winter fuel allowance. Today is economy day at conference and we have the chancellor speaking and a composite motion on the growth mission, which is scheduled for this morning.”
A spokesperson voiced their anger over conference arrangements, remarking: “So, it is more of a surprise, in fact an outrage, to us that the composite motion from Unite and the CWU on economy for the future is not listed on the agenda for today. It is disrespectful to our members and every single delegate here and conference itself, who voted for the priorities ballot.”
In the midst of contention, Lynne Morris, who was presiding over the CAC, endured jeers and boos while she sought to clarify: “This is a really busy conference and we are trying to accommodate as much as we can, and I’m going to take this back straight to CAC and I’ll come back to you with an answer ASAP.”
Details on who qualifies for Winter Fuel Payment this year have been clarified. Those eligible include individuals born on or before 23rd September 1958 residing in Scotland, England, or Wales, and in receipt of specified benefits.
Check if you need to claim
If you don’t receive any of the qualifying means-tested benefits, you’ll need to claim if either of the following apply:
How to claim
You can claim your Winter Fuel Payment by:
- Post – from September 30, 2024
- Phone – from October 28, 2024
If you’re on Universal Credit, you’ll be informed how to claim through a message in your journal.
The deadline for winter 2024 to 2025 claims is set for March 31, 2025. Comprehensive information about eligibility and payments can be found on the Winter Fuel Payment section of the GOV.UK website.
