People born in these years could be eligible for £200 help with heating this winter | Personal Finance | Finance

November 6, 2024 3,629

The energy price cap increased by 10% in October, pushing heating bills up for many heading into the winter months. However, hundreds of pounds worth of support is available from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to help hard-up Britons reduce costs.

Changes to the Winter Fuel Payment eligibility criteria will see around 10 million state pensioners lose the right to the benefit this year. Around 1.5 million on means-tested benefits will still qualify, and the amount they receive depends on the year their age.

The Winter Fuel Payment is worth between £200 and £300 and is generally paid to those eligible automatically, although people are urged to keep an eye on their bank statement to ensure they receive it.

Some people, such as those living abroad in eligible countries, will have to claim the support.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Winter Fuel Payment.

Who is eligible for the £200 Winter Fuel Payment

Eligible state pensioners born between September 23, 1944, and September 22, 1958, will receive a Winter Fuel Payment of £200. This includes pensioners currently aged between 66 and 79.

People must also live in England or Wales and be claiming the following benefits during the “qualifying week”, which was September 16 to September 22, 2024.

Pension Credit
Universal Credit
income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
Income Support
Child Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit.

If a person jointly claims any of the benefits, one person will get a payment.

Who is eligible for the £300 Winter Fuel Payment

Eligible Britons claiming the same means-tested benefits will receive a £300 Winter Fuel Payment if they were born before September 23, 1944. This includes people aged 80 and over.

People should have started receiving letters in October to inform them of their eligibility and how much they will be paid.

Payments are then typically made in November and December into the same bank account they receive their benefits.

The DWP has advised that those who do not get a letter but think they’re eligible should check if they need to make a claim. For example, they may live abroad and still qualify for the benefit.

How to claim the Winter Fuel Payment if you live abroad

Those who do not live in the UK are only eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment if:

They were born before 23 September 1958
They get a UK state pension
They have a genuine and sufficient link to the UK – this can include having lived or worked in the UK, and having family in the UK
The UK is responsible for paying their benefits
They moved to an eligible country before December 31, 2020, and are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement.

British or Irish nationals living in Ireland do not need to have moved by December 30, 2020, but they will need to meet all of the other eligibility rules.

They must also have been getting a qualifying means-tested benefit during the qualifying week from the country they live in that is equivalent to: