Exact date households have until time to apply for a free £600 living allowance
THE exact date when households must apply for an extra £600 to help with living costs has been revealed – and they must act quickly.
Brits eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment have just four weeks left to make a claim if they haven’t received the payment automatically.
The vast majority of people eligible for the payment should have already received it.
The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show that more than 99% of eligible pensioners have already received up to £600.
This means that there are roughly 100,000 people who are eligible for benefits.
The last day for all automatic payments to be made was January 26th.
Payments will continue this month, so those who haven’t received their money yet should receive their money by January 26th.
If you have not received your payment by then, please contact the Winter Fuel Payment Center as you may need to file a claim.
Anyone who reaches retirement age before September 2023 is eligible for the benefit, worth between £250 and £600.
The money is available to those who receive state pensions and other benefits.
If you’re not sure if you’ve made a payment, you can check by looking on your bank statement for a payment that starts with your social security number.
The payment will appear as your social security number followed by “DWP WFP”.
If you are concerned that you may miss a payment, you should contact the Winter Fuel Payment Center, which will be responsible for issuing the funds.
UK residents can call them on 0800 731 0160. Lines are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.
If you are calling from outside the UK, the number to call is +44 (0)191 218 7777.
You can also contact them by post at: Winter Fuel Payment Centre, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1LR.
Before you call, make sure you have the following information to hand:
- your name
- Your adress
- Your date of birth
- Your citizen service number
The number of households receiving a winter fuel payment from 2022 to 2023 was 8.4 million, an increase of approximately 146,000 between winter 2021 and 2022.
The total estimated number of payments to households as of December 19, 2023 is 8.9 million.
Who can get the winter fuel payment?
You are eligible for a winter fuel payment if you were born before September 25, 1957.
You must also live in Great Britain, but there are exceptions to this rule.
If you moved to a specific country before January 1, 2021 and have a link to Great Britain, you may also be eligible.
We have a full list of eligible countries outside the UK here.
There are certain circumstances in which you may not qualify for the full winter payment, even if you meet other criteria.
You are not eligible if:
- You have been in hospital for more than a year and are receiving free treatment
- You need permission to enter Britain and your granted leave means you cannot claim public funds
- You were in prison for the entire week of September 18 to 24, 2023
Those living in a care home are also not eligible for a winter fuel payment if both of the following apply:
- You receive pension credit, income support, income-related jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) or income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
- You lived in a care home all the time from June 26 to September 24, 2023
How much do I get?
The amount you receive depends on your circumstances. Below you will find the amounts you can expect.
- You qualify and live alone – £500 to £600
- You qualify together with someone you live with who is under 80 years old and also eligible – £250 to £350
- You are eligible and live with someone over 80 who is also eligible – £250 to £300
- If you or your partner also receive benefits – £500 to £600 (this amount is the same if someone you live with who is not your partner receives certain benefits)
- If you are eligible but live in a care home and are not receiving benefits: £250 to £300
In most cases you do not have to claim the payment, but it will be deposited directly into your bank account.
We have a full list of benefits, which means you don’t have to claim the winter fuel payment.
If you are not eligible for benefits, you should make a claim if any of the following apply:
- You have not previously received the winter fuel payment
- You have postponed your state pension since your last winter fuel payment
Anyone who needs to apply for the winter fuel payment has until March 31 to do so.