Four reasons you might NOT be eligible £300 Winter Fuel Payment this year – even if you claim benefits
09/26/2024 02:00 AM
MILLIONS of pensioners will lose the Winter Fuel Payment this year to those on Pension Credit and some other benefits – but even those people are not guaranteed the vital support.
Around 10million pensioners will no longer get the payment worth up to £300 after chancellor Rachel Reeves changed the rules for qualifying.
From this winter, the payment will be limited to people receiving Pension Credit and other means-tested benefits.
As a result, the numbers of desperate households claiming for Pension Credit has doubled.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) received 38,500 applications in the five weeks following the announcement in July 2024, compared to 17,900 claims in the five weeks leading up to the announcement.
It’s estimated that there are hundreds of thousands of people who are eligible for Pension Credit but have failed to claim it.
As well as unlocking the Winter Fuel Payment, the benefit means you qualify for a whole host of other freebies and perks.
You need to have had an active claim for Pension Credit over the qualifying week of September 16 to 22 to qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment.
But, don’t worry if you haven’t yet made an application as claims can be backdated by up to three months.
The very last day you could claim and guarantee that you can get three months' backdating to bring you within the qualifying week to get a Winter Fuel Payment will be December 21, 2024.
Yet, many will be shocked to find out that even if they qualify for Pension Credit, or other means-tested benefits, they still have to meet four strict conditions to receive the Winter Fuel Payment.
If one of the following situations apply to you, then you won’t receive the Winter Fuel Payment.
You live in Scotland
People who live in Scotland are not eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment.
Instead, they can apply for the Winter Heating Payment (WHP). This payment is worth £58.75 and is paid from December 2024.
You automatically receive this payment if you claim one of the benefits that makes you eligible, including Pension Credit.
However, you may still be able to claim the Winter Fuel Payment if you meet the other qualifying conditions and live abroad in an eligible EEA country or Switzerland including:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- Germany
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Sweden
- Switzerland
You live in a care home
You won’t be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment if were living in a care home between June 24 and September 22 2024.
However, you can get the payment if you lived in a care home for less than 13 weeks including the ‘qualifying week’ of 16 to 22 September 2024.
You live in hospital
If have been in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year you won’t be entitled to receive the Winter Fuel Payment.
You’ve recently been in prison
You won’t receive the Winter Fuel Payment if you were in prison for the whole of the qualifying week from 16 to 22 September 2024.
Crucial to claim Pension Credit if you can
HUNDREDS of thousands of pensioners are missing out on Pension Credit.
The Sun’s Assistant Consumer Editor Lana Clements explains why it’s imperative to apply for the benefit..
Pension Credit is designed to top up the income of the UK’s poorest pensioners.
In itself the payment is a vital lifeline for older people with little income.
It will take weekly income up to to £218.15 if you're single or joint income to £332.95.
Yet, an estimated 800,000 don’t claim this support. Not only are they missing on this cash, but far more extra support that is unlocked when claiming Pension Credit.
With the winter fuel payment – worth up to £300 now being restricted to pensioners claiming Pension Credit – it’s more important than ever to claim the benefit if you can.
Pension Credit also opens up help with housing costs, council tax or heating bills and even a free TV licence if you are 75 or older.
All this extra support can make a huge difference to the quality of life for a struggling pensioner.
It’s not difficult to apply for Pension Credit, you can do it up to four months before you reach state pension age through the government website or by calling 0800 99 1234.
You'll just need your National Insurance number, as well as information about income, savings and investments.
What is pension credit?
A huge £2billion goes unclaimed in Pension Credit each year.
The benefit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you're single or joint income to £332.95.
This is known as the “guarantee credit”.
If your income is lower than this, you’re very likely to be eligible for the benefit.
And, if your income is slightly higher, you might still be eligible for pension credit if you have a disability, you care for someone, you have savings or you have housing costs.
You could get an extra £81.50 a week if you have a disability or claim any of the following:
- Attendance allowance
- The middle or highest rate from the care component of disability living allowance (DLA)
- The daily living component of personal independence payment (PIP)
- Armed forces independence payment
- The daily living component of adult disability payment (ADP) at the standard or enhanced rate.
You could get the “savings credit” part of pension credit if both of the following apply:
- You reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016
- You saved some money for retirement, for example, a personal or workplace pension
When you receive Pension Credit, it also unlocks other financial support such as council tax benefits and free TV licences for over-75s.
You can use an online benefits calculator to find out your entitlement to support. There is a list of independent and free checks you can make at gov.uk/benefits-calculators.
How do I apply for pension credit?
YOU can start your application up to four months before you reach state pension age.
Applications for pension credit can be made on the government website or by ringing the pension credit claim line on 0800 99 1234.
You can get a friend or family member to ring for you, but you’ll need to be with them when they do.
You’ll need the following information about you and your partner if you have one:
- National Insurance number
- Information about any income, savings and investments you have
- Information about your income, savings and investments on the date you want to backdate your application to (usually three months ago or the date you reached state pension age)
If you claim after you reach pension age, you can backdate your claim for up to three months.
