Key Winter Fuel Payment dates explained including final deadline to apply and when payments land in bank accounts --[Reported by Umva mag]

STRUGGLING pensioners can now start to apply for up to £300 of cash handed out through the Winter Fuel Payment. For the first time this year, the benefit will not be universal and only available to people claiming certain support. GettyYou can now start applying for the Winter Fuel Payment for 2024[/caption] Previously anyone over State Pension age qualified for the payment designed to soften the pinch of energy bills during the colder months. Most households do not need to apply for The Winter Fuel Payment and will automatically be paid the cash. However, a select group of people who are eligible need to apply in order to get the benefit. If you live in England or Wales and were born before 23 September 1958, you will automatically receive the Winter Fuel Payment if you receive any of the following benefits: 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, anyone who lives abroad and qualifies for the Winter Fuel Payment will need to apply for it. You can qualify if you live abroad in certain countries and the following conditions apply: You moved to the eligible country before January 1, 2021 You were born before September 23, 1958 You 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 You will need to claim Winter Fuel Payment even if you have got it before. The payment is not made automatically when you live abroad. The eligible countries you can live in and claim are: 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 Postal applications Anyone living abroad and looking to apply households can now apply via post. Applications opened on September 30. You need to fill in the winter fuel payment claim form and post it to the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. The form is available at gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/how-to-claim. The address to post to is: Winter Fuel Payment CentreMail Handling Site AWolverhamptonWV98 1ZUUK Phone applications You can also apply for the benefit by phone but not until October 28. If you think you qualify and want to make an application this way, make a calendar note in your phone. You will need to phone the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on +44 (0)191 218 7777. Payment dates Most payments are made automatically in November or December. If you qualify, you’ll get a letter telling you: How much you’ll get Which bank account it will be paid into Payments are £200 for eligible households or £300 for eligible households where someone is aged over 80. For those living in England and Wales, the payment will show up in your bank account as your National Insurance (NI) number followed by “DWP WFP”. For those in Northern Ireland it will show up as the person’s NI number followed by “DFC WFP”. So, if you live in England and your NI number is QQ123456B the payment would show up as QQ123456B DWP WFP. Deadline for claims 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 deadline for you to make a claim for winter 2024 to 2025 is 31 March 2025. Applying for Pension Credit You will qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment if you qualify for selected means-tested benefits, most notably Pension Credit. Hundreds of thousands of households are eligible for this benefit but aren’t claiming and are now set to miss out on the Winter Fuel Payment as a result. You will need to have been claiming Pension Credit in the ‘qualifying week’ of September 16 to 22, 2024. However, claims can be backdated by three months meaning you have until December 21 to make a claim and still get the Winter Fuel Payment. Pension Credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single or to £332.95 if you have a partner. If your income is lower than this, you’re very likely to be eligible for the benefit. However, 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

Oct 3, 2024 - 11:24

Key Winter Fuel Payment dates explained including final deadline to apply and when payments land in bank accounts --[Reported by Umva mag]

STRUGGLING pensioners can now start to apply for up to £300 of cash handed out through the Winter Fuel Payment.

For the first time this year, the benefit will not be universal and only available to people claiming certain support.

an envelope from the department for work and pensions

You can now start applying for the Winter Fuel Payment for 2024[/caption]

Previously anyone over State Pension age qualified for the payment designed to soften the pinch of energy bills during the colder months.

Most households do not need to apply for The Winter Fuel Payment and will automatically be paid the cash.

However, a select group of people who are eligible need to apply in order to get the benefit.

If you live in England or Wales and were born before 23 September 1958, you will automatically receive the Winter Fuel Payment if you receive any of the following benefits:

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, anyone who lives abroad and qualifies for the Winter Fuel Payment will need to apply for it.

You can qualify if you live abroad in certain countries and the following conditions apply:

You moved to the eligible country before January 1, 2021
You were born before September 23, 1958
You 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

You will need to claim Winter Fuel Payment even if you have got it before. The payment is not made automatically when you live abroad.

The eligible countries you can live in and claim are:

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

Postal applications

Anyone living abroad and looking to apply households can now apply via post. Applications opened on September 30. You need to fill in the winter fuel payment claim form and post it to the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.

The form is available at gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/how-to-claim.

The address to post to is:

Winter Fuel Payment Centre
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1ZU
UK

Phone applications

You can also apply for the benefit by phone but not until October 28.

If you think you qualify and want to make an application this way, make a calendar note in your phone.

You will need to phone the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on +44 (0)191 218 7777.

Payment dates

Most payments are made automatically in November or December.

If you qualify, you’ll get a letter telling you:

How much you’ll get
Which bank account it will be paid into

Payments are £200 for eligible households or £300 for eligible households where someone is aged over 80.

For those living in England and Wales, the payment will show up in your bank account as your National Insurance (NI) number followed by “DWP WFP”.

For those in Northern Ireland it will show up as the person’s NI number followed by “DFC WFP”.

So, if you live in England and your NI number is QQ123456B the payment would show up as QQ123456B DWP WFP.

Deadline for claims

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 deadline for you to make a claim for winter 2024 to 2025 is 31 March 2025.

Applying for Pension Credit

You will qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment if you qualify for selected means-tested benefits, most notably Pension Credit.

Hundreds of thousands of households are eligible for this benefit but aren’t claiming and are now set to miss out on the Winter Fuel Payment as a result.

You will need to have been claiming Pension Credit in the ‘qualifying week’ of September 16 to 22, 2024.

However, claims can be backdated by three months meaning you have until December 21 to make a claim and still get the Winter Fuel Payment.

Pension Credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single or to £332.95 if you have a partner.

If your income is lower than this, you’re very likely to be eligible for the benefit.

However, 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, in a personal or workplace pension

This part of the pension credit is worth £17.01 for single people or £19.04 for couples.

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.

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