A four-week warning has been issued for the Winter Fuel Payment. People who have not yet received either an official eligibility confirmation letter or had the cash in their account can raise the issue with the DWP after January 29.
Around 1.5 million are due to receive the Winter Fuel Payment this year under its revised rules, which have restricted support to those receiving Pension Credit and some other low-income benefits. Another 760,000 people may be eligible because they have yet to apply for Pension Credit despite being eligible.
Most people who qualify for the £200-£300 payment usually get a confirmation letter in October or November before the cash is automatically deposited in their accounts the following month, in November or December respectively.
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But there’s a chance some payments will come later – especially if a Pension Credit award has only recently been approved – or that people will inadvertently be overlooked and have to phone up to make a claim. Pension Credit applications approved by December 21 will still be eligible to receive the allowance because the benefit can be backdated by up to three months. This then incorporates the qualifying week of September 16-22 when entitlement to the Winter Fuel Payment was determined.
The Department for Work and Pensions says that anyone who hasn’t received either a confirmation letter or their Winter Fuel Payment by Wednesday, January 29 – just over four weeks from now – can call the helpline to check what’s happened.
Government guidance says: “Most payments are made automatically in November or December. You’ll get a letter telling you how much you’ll get, and which bank account it will be paid into – this is usually the same account as your Pension Credit or other benefits
“If you do not get a letter or the money has not been paid into your account by January 29, 2025, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.”
The centre is available on 0800 731 0160 from Monday to Friday, between 8am and 6pm, though opening hours vary over the festive period. Normal opening times apply on December 30 and from January 2 onwards, but there’s a 5pm closure on December 31 and lines are closed on New Year’s Day, January 1.
You should not need to make a claim for the allowance if you receive any of the following:
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- Income Support
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
However, you will need to put in a claim if you live abroad. Those who’ve retired to some overseas countries can still get the Winter Fuel Payment in certain circumstances. This includes being in receipt of a means-tested benefit from the country where you live that is equivalent to one of the seven UK benefits above. In such cases, you’ll need to apply for the heating support by phone or post before the deadline of March 31, 2025.
Labour’s more targeted approach to the scheme – announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in July – mean the number of pensioners in receipt of the payment is expected to fall by around 10 million this year from 11.4 million to 1.5 million. A Government spokesperson said: “Over one million pensioners will still receive the Winter Fuel Payment, and our drive to boost Pension Credit take-up has seen applications more than double with over 40,000 more pensioners now receiving it, as well as the Winter Fuel Payment.
“We continue to urge anyone who thinks they may be entitled to Pension Credit to check now, as all eligible claims can be backdated, and anyone who makes a successful claim before December 21 will receive their payment.”
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