How do I know if I am entitled to the fuel allowance?

To qualify for Fuel Allowance, your means must be less than the maximum State Pension (Contributory) at 66, including any increases you could get for dependents or living alone, plus an additional €200. This is called the 'assessable income limit'.

Is cash by any other name evidence on labeling from the UK winter fuel payment?

We study the UK Winter Fuel Payment, a labeled cash transfer to older households. We find robust evidence of a behavioral effect of labeling. Our estimates indicate that, on average, households spend 47% of the WFP on fuel. If the payment were treated as cash, this figure would be 3%.

Who is not entitled to fuel allowance?

If a person is in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment and a benefit then Fuel Allowance is not paid. ii) Working Family Payment (WFP) is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance. However, if a person is in receipt of One-Parent Family Payment and WFP they may be entitled to the allowance.

Who qualifies for living alone allowance?

If you are aged 66 or over and live alone, you will qualify for the Living Alone Increase if you are getting one of the following payments: State Pension (Contributory) State Pension (Non-Contributory) Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension.

What is winter fuel payment in England?

This is known as a 'Winter Fuel Payment'. The amount you get includes a 'Pensioner Cost of Living Payment'. This is between £150 and £300. You'll get this extra amount in winter 2023 to 2024.

When can I get fuel allowance?

Fuel Allowance is usually paid from the end of September to April each year for 28 weeks. In 2023-2024, the start date for Fuel Allowance was Monday, 25 September 2023. Fuel Allowance is included in your weekly payment, if you are getting a social welfare payment.

Who will get a double social welfare payment?

Over the course of this week, a Double Lump Sum Payment will be issued to the likes of our pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, lone parents and low income families. The January Bonus is the ninth lump sum payment secured by Minister Humphreys under Budget 2024.

What questions does a social welfare inspector ask?

A Social Welfare Inspector may interview you about your income and may ask you for supporting documents, such as bank statements or accounts. This may involve a visit to your home. All your sources of income are added together and taken into account when deciding whether you qualify for a means-tested payment.

Who gets the 200 euro bonus?

Once-off payment of €200 to people getting the Living Alone Increase (between 29 November and 1 December 2023). Once-off payment of €400 to people getting Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension or Blind Pension (22–24 November 2023) or Carer's Support Grant or Domiciliary Care Allowance (30 November).

Three groups of older people may need to claim Winter Fuel Payments this year (2024)

A new video shared on YouTube by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) explains everything older people need to know about the Winter Fuel Payment, including eligibility, how and when the money is paid, and the three groups of people who may need to make a claim. Payments this year include the pensioner cost of living payment, worth £300, which means eligible households could receive up to £600.

The short video offers a good snapshot of what to expect, especially if you’ve never received the payment before and makes it easy to understand who is likely to receive the higher payment of £600 - those over 80, not living in a care home. Those aged between 66 and 79 will most-likely receive a one-off payment of £500.

The three groups of people who may not receive the payments automatically include those who have never received the Winter Fuel Payment before, those who do not get the State Pension or certain benefits and those who have recently retired abroad. You can check if you need to claim on the GOV.UK website here.

Last year, more than 11 million pensioner households received Winter Fuel Payments of up to £600 and the DWP has said over 8 million will receive the additional £300 cost of living payment this year.

People who are due the one-off lump sum should receive a letter from the DWP telling them how much money to expect ahead of payments arriving between November and January.

It’s important to note to be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, you must have been born before September 25, 1957 and lived in the UK for at least one day during the qualifying week of 18 to 24 September 2023.

If you did not meet either of these qualifying criteria, you may also need to make a claim. If you’ve had a Winter Fuel Payment before, you do not need to claim again unless you’ve deferred your State Pension or moved abroad - find out more here.

DWP said the pensioner cost of living payment will be made alongside the Winter Fuel Payment in November or December. The money will be paid into the account where the State Pension or other benefits are usually paid.

Payments will continue until January 26, 2024. If you haven’t received a letter from DWP or the payment by that date, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160 (living in the UK), or +44 (0)191 218 7777 (living outside the UK). Full contact details can be found on GOV.UK here.

You can watch the Winter Fuel Payment video on YouTube here.

Who does not need to make a claim for Winter Fuel Payment?

You do not need to claim if you get any of the following:

State Pension
Pension Credit
Attendance Allowance
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Carers Allowance
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Income Support
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
Awards from the War Pensions Scheme
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
Incapacity Benefit
Industrial Death Benefit

How to make a claim

You can claim Winter Fuel Payment by post or over the phone.

Claim by post

Fill in a Winter Fuel Payment claim form for UK residents and send it to the Winter Fuel Payment Centre - the form and address details are on GOV.UK here.

Claim over the phone

Contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160 - lines are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm. Before making the call have your National Insurance number, bank or building society details and the date you were married or entered into a civil partnership (if appropriate) to hand.

How much you will be paid

Any money you get is tax-free and will not affect your other benefits.

Latest State Pension News

900k pensioner will pay tax next year
New State Pension payment options
Update on calls for £550 State Pension
£303 annual boost for grandparents

If you live alone or no one you live with is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment

You will get either:

£500 if you were born between September 25, 1943 and September 24, 1957 (aged between 66 and 79)
£600 if you were born before September 25, 1943 (aged 80 and over)

If you live with someone else who’s eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment

Your payment may be different if you get one of the following benefits:

Pension Credit
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Income Support

If you do not get any of the benefits listed above

You will get a payment of either:

If you and your partner jointly claim any of the benefits listed above

One of you will get a payment of either:

£500 if both of you were born between September 25, 1943 and September 24, 1957 (aged between 66 and 79)
£600 if one or both of you were born before September 25, 1943 (aged 80 and over)

Winter heating bill help

£600 Winter Fuel Payment ends this week
Claim £55 heating payment this month
Calls to increase Warm Home Discount
New £300 heating payment starts in 2024

If you get any of the benefits listed above (not as part of a joint claim)

You will get a payment of either:

£500 if you were born between September 25, 1943 and September 24, 1957 (aged between 66 and 79)
£600 if you were born before September 25, 1943 (aged 80 and over)

If you live in a care home

If you are eligible you will get either:

£250 if you were born between September 25, 1943 and September 24, 1957
£300 if you were born before September 25, 1943

Eligibility if you live in a care home

You can get Winter Fuel Payment if you live in a care home. You will not be eligible if both of the following apply:

you get Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
you lived in a care home for the whole time from 26 June to 24 September 2023

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Three groups of older people may need to claim Winter Fuel Payments this year (13)

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Who is not eligible for Winter Fuel Payments 2023/24?

You will not be eligible if you:

have been in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year
need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave says you cannot claim public funds
were in prison for the whole of the week of 18 to 24 September 2023

You can read the full guide to this year's Winter Fuel Payment on GOV.UK here.

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