DWP Is Sending Out Letters To People Who Will Receive Cost Of Living Help
The Winter Fuel Payment is worth up to £300, but now the Government is adding an extra £300 pensioner cost of living payment on top to help with rising bills. People who are eligible in Lincolnshire including Lincoln, Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Boston, Skegness, and Grantham will receive letters telling them how much they will receive.
State pensioners who are eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment worth up to £600 will start to receive letter from Work and Pensions (DWP).
The Winter Fuel Payment is normally worth up to £300, depending on your living arrangements and circumstances, but due to the cost of living crisis the Government is adding an extra £300 pensioner cost of living payment to help with rising bills.
Eligible individuals will automatically receive the pensioner cost of living payment along with the Winter Fuel Payment, potentially resulting in a total payment of up to £600.
To qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment, you must have been born before September 25, 1957, and have lived in the UK for at least one day between September 18 and September 24, 2023.
However, there are exceptions to this rule, which we will discuss later. Most households receiving benefits such as State Pension, Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Carer’s Allowance, and more will automatically receive the Winter Fuel Payment.
Here is a comprehensive list of benefits that make households eligible for the payment:
State Pension
Pension Credit
Attendance Allowance
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Carer’s 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
Additional Eligibility Criteria
If you do not receive the above benefits, have deferred your state pension, or live abroad, you may still be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment under certain circumstances.
If you moved to an eligible country before January 1, 2021, were born before September 25, 1957, and have a genuine and sufficient link to the UK, you may qualify.
Applying for the Winter Fuel Payment
Most eligible individuals will receive a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in October or November, informing them about their eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment.
The payments are typically disbursed in November or December. However, if you do not receive a letter but believe you are eligible, or if you need to apply by post or telephone, you can follow these steps:
If you need to claim by post, download the relevant form for your location from the Gov.uk website.
Complete the form and send it to the Winter Fuel Payment Centre at the following address: Winter Fuel Payment Centre, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1ZU, UK.
If you prefer to apply by phone, you can call the Winter Fuel Payment helpline at 0191 218 7777.
It is important to note that the deadline for making a claim for the winter of 2023/24 is March 31, 2024.
Exceptions to Eligibility
While the Winter Fuel Payment provides necessary support to many pensioners, there are certain circumstances where individuals may not be eligible to receive the payment. These circumstances include:
Being in the hospital and receiving free treatment for more than a year.
Needing permission to enter the UK, and your granted leave states that you cannot claim public funds.
Being in prison for the entire week of September 18 to September 24, 2023.
Additionally, if you live in a care home, you will not receive the Winter Fuel Payment if you meet the following criteria:
You receive Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
You resided in a care home from June 26 to September 24, 2023.