If you do not get a letter or the money has not been paid into your account by 26 January, 2024, contact the winter fuel payment centre.
Who gets the winter fuel payment?
You can get the winter fuel payment if you were born before 25 September, 1957 and you live in the UK.
There are certain circumstances where you might not have to live in the UK. This includes having moved to an eligible country (EEA and Switzerland) before January 2021 and having a “genuine and sufficient link” to the UK, such as having worked here or having family in the country.
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People who have been living in hospital for more than a year are not eligible for the payment. Unfortunately, you also won’t be eligible if you were in prison for the whole week of 18 to 24 September this year.
You might for some of the winter fuel payment if you live in a care home. But that’s only if you don’t get certain benefits: pension credit, income support, jobseeker’s allowance or income-related employment and support allowance.
How much is the winter fuel payment?
The winter fuel payment ranges between £250 and £600 depending on how old you are and who you live with. This includes a pensioner cost of living payment, which makes up between £150 and £300 of the total.
If you live alone or with no one else eligible for the payment:
If you were born before 25 September, 1943, you will get £600.
If you were born between 25 September, 1943 and 24 September, 1957, you will get £500.
How much winter fuel payment do couples get?
Couples (and other pensioners living together) will get either a £500 or £600 payment between them.
If you were both born between 25 September, 1943 and 24 September, 1957, you will get £250 each.
If one of you is born in this date range but the other is born before 25 September, 1943, you will get £600 between you. It is £250 for the younger of you and £350 for the older.
If you were both born before 25 September, 1943, it is £300 each.
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For those couples jointly claiming pension credit, income-based jobseeker’s allowance, income-related employment and support allowance or income support, the payments will come together rather than individually.
How much winter fuel payment will I get if I live in a care home?
People living in a care home will get £250 if born between 25 September, 1943 and 24 September, 1957. It is £300 if you were born before then.
How do I claim the winter fuel payment?
Most people get the winter fuel payment automatically if they’re eligible. You’ll get a letter in October or November telling you how to make the claim.
You’ll get the payment automatically if you are receiving any of the following benefits:
- State pension
- Pension credit
- Attendance allowance
- Personal independence payment (PIP)
- Carers allowance
- Disability living allowance
- Income support
- Income-related employment and support allowance
- Income-related jobseeker’s allowance
- Awards from the war pensions scheme
- Industrial injuries disablement benefit
- Incapacity benefit
If you do not get any of these, and you’ve not got the winter fuel payment before, you’ll need to make a claim by post or phone. This also applies if you’ve deferred your state pension since your last winter fuel payment.
For post, you’ll need to download a form and send it to Winter Fuel Payment Centre, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV981ZU, UK.
The phone number is 0800 731 0160. You can find more details about how to claim here.
If you have not got the payment since you’ve moved abroad (EEA and Switzerland), you can also claim by post or phone.
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