Pensioners have been urged to check if they are eligible for payments totalling £485 with their deadlines fast approaching. A number of Government payments are available to help struggling households this winter.
As reported by The Sun, some of the deadlines have passed for benefits aimed at working-aged people, however, they are still open to people who might get Pension Credit because this can be backdated.
And some are still available for certain people of working age if they qualify, but they’ll need to move especially quickly.
There are four key upcoming deadlines you need to be aware of.
November 1
This is the deadline to get cold weather payments, which come to £25 per week whenever there is severely cold weather between November 1 and March 31.
To get the bonus, you need to be in receipt of certain benefits and the temperature needs to drop below freezing for seven consecutive days.
If you qualify, you’ll get the extra money automatically whenever the temperature drops.
Although there’s no deadline as such, you need to apply for the relevant benefits before November 1 then to take advantage of the scheme.
Benefits that qualify for cold weather payments include:
Pension Credit
Everyone on Pension Credit should get cold weather payments. You can also backdate your claim by three months.
Income Support and income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
If you have any of the following:
- A disability or pensioner premium
- A child who is disabled
- Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
- A child under five living with you.
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
You should get CWPs if you’re in a work-related activity or support group. Even if you’re not in a group, you might still get them if you have:
- A severe or enhanced disability premium
- A pensioner premium
- A child who is disabled
- Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
- A child under five living with you
- Universal credit.
If both you are your partner (if you have one) are not employed or “gainfully employed” and:
- You or your partner have a health condition or disability and have limited capability for work (with or without work-related activity)
- You have a child under five living with you.
If you have a disabled child amount in your claim, you should be eligible whether you are employed, self-employed, or not working at all.
Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI)
You’ll usually get Cold Weather Payments if you’re treated as getting a qualifying benefit where one of the following applies:
- A severe or enhanced disability premium
- A pensioner premium
- You have a child who is disabled
- You get Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
- You have a child under five living with you.
You’re usually treated as getting a qualifying benefit if you apply for it but do not receive it because your income is too high.
November 10
This is the deadline to claim Pension Credit to ensure you get the Warm Homes Discount worth £150.
The Warm Homes Discount is a one-off £150 reduction on your energy bills.
To get it, you need to be on one of Housing Benefit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Income Support, Pension Credit and Universal Credit.
You could also qualify if your household income falls below a certain threshold, and you get either Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit.
The deadline for most people passed in August, but if you are above State Pension age and would qualify for Pension Credit – there’s still time to apply.
The deadline for doing so is November 10, which will allow you to backdate your Pension Credit claim far enough to still qualify for the Warm Homes Discount.
Find out how to claim on the gov.uk website.
December 2
December 2 is the deadline to qualify for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP_ Christmas bonus – £10
The Christmas Bonus is a one-off, tax-free £10 payment made before Christmas, paid to people who get certain benefits in the qualifying week.
You should get paid automatically, but if you think you might qualify for one of the benefits that gets the bonus, you need to be receiving it before that date.
The benefits that qualify for the £10 bonus include:
- Adult Disability Payment
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Carer Support Payment
- Child Disability Payment
- Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim)
- Disability Living Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
- Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
- Mobility Supplement
- Pension Credit – the guarantee element
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
- Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
- Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
- War Widow’s Pension
- Widowed Mother’s Allowance
- Widowed Parent’s Allowance
- Widow’s Pension.
December 21
December 21 is the deadline to claim Pension Credit in order to get the winter fuel payment, which is worth up to £300.
This year, the new Labour Government changed the criteria so the Winter Fuel Allowance would no longer be a universal benefit and would instead only be paid to people who get certain benefits.
Most people need to be in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits by September 22 to get the free cash. But because Pension Credit can be backdated, you’ll still get the winter fuel payment, if you’re receiving it by December 22.
You get £200 if the oldest person in your household is between 66 and 80, and £300 for households with someone aged 80 or over.
Find out how to claim on the gov.uk website.
