You can get a Winter Fuel Payment for Winter 2024 to 2025 if you were born before 23 September 1958. You must also live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and get one of the following: Pension Credit Universal Credit income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) Income Support Child Tax Credit Working Tax Credit You’ll also need to have been getting a benefit during the qualifying week of 16 to 22 September 2024. In some circumstances, you might be eligible if you live abroad . When you will not be eligible You will not be eligible if you: live in Scotland have been in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year were in prison for the whole of the week of 16 to 22 September 2024 were living in a care home for the whole time from 24 June to 22 September 2024 If you live in Scotland, you might be eligible for a similar payment from the Scottish Government . This will be paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). If you live in a care home You can get a Winter Fuel Payment if: you get certain benefits and are eligible you have lived in a care home for less than 13 weeks including the week of 16 to 22 September 2024

You’ll get a letter in October or November telling you how much Winter Fuel Payment you’ll get, if you’re eligible . If you do not get a letter but think you are eligible, check if you need to make a claim . The amount you get is based on when you were born and your circumstances between 16 and 22 September 2024. This is called the ‘qualifying week’. Any money you get is tax-free and will not affect your other benefits. If you live alone You’ll get either: £200 if you were born between 23 September 1944 and 22 September 1958 £300 if you were born before 23 September 1944 If you live with someone If you and your partner jointly claim any of the benefits, one of you will get a payment of either: £200 if one or both of you were born between 23 September 1944 and 22 September 1958 £300 if one or both of you were born before 23 September 1944 You’ll be paid into the bank account your benefits are usually paid into. If you live in a care home If you’re eligible you’ll get either: £200 if you were born between 23 September 1944 and 22 September 1958 £300 if you were born before 23 September 1944

Check if you need to claim

Most people get the Winter Fuel Payment automatically if they’re eligible . You do not need to claim if you get any of the following: 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 You will need to claim if you’re eligible and live abroad . Get help and advice Call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre if you’re not sure if you’re eligible. You cannot make a claim by phone. Winter Fuel Payment Centre Email enquiry form Telephone: 0800 731 0160 Textphone: contact Relay UK on 18001 then 0800 731 0160 British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm Find out about call charges

Most payments are made automatically in November or December. You’ll get a letter telling you: how much you’ll get which bank account it will be paid into - this is usually the same account as your Pension Credit or other benefits If you do not get a letter or the money has not been paid into your account by 29 January 2025, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre .

If you do not live in the UK, you’re only eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment if: you were born before 23 September 1958 you get UK State Pension 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 the UK is responsible for paying your benefits you moved to an eligible country before 31 December 2020 and are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement If you are a British or Irish national living in Ireland, you do not need to have moved by 31 December 2020, but you will need to meet all of the other eligibility rules. You must also be getting a qualifying means-tested benefit from the country you live in that is equivalent to: Pension Credit Universal Credit income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) Income Support Working Tax Credit Child Tax Credit You’ll need to have been getting this benefit during the qualifying week of 16 to 22 September 2024 You must live in an eligible EEA country or Switzerland to get a Winter Fuel Payment. Eligible countries 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 How to claim You can claim Winter Fuel Payment by: post - from 30 September 2024 phone - from 28 October 2024 The deadline for you to make a claim for winter 2024 to 2025 is 31 March 2025. When you make a claim, you’ll need to provide evidence of the means-tested benefit you are getting (from the country you live in). Claim by post You will need to claim Winter Fuel Payment even if you have got it before. The payment is not made automatically. Download and fill in form IPCF091, if you’re a UK national or UK dual national living in an eligible country other than Ireland. If you’ve not claimed Winter Fuel Payment before, you’ll also need to fill in a Winter Fuel Payment claim form. If you got a Winter Fuel Payment before, you will need to provide evidence of the means-tested benefit you are getting (from the country you live in) in the Winter Fuel Payment additional information form. Download the forms . Send your completed forms to the following address. Winter Fuel Payment Centre Mail Handling Site A Wolverhampton WV98 1ZU UK Claim by phone Call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre to claim by phone. Winter Fuel Payment Centre Email enquiry form Telephone: +44 (0)191 218 7777 Textphone: contact Relay UK on +44 (0)151 494 2022 then 0800 731 0160 British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm Find out about call charges What to prepare before you call Before you call, you will need to know: your National Insurance number your bank or building society details your BIC and IBAN numbers the date you were married or entered into a civil partnership (if appropriate) Payments cannot be made into a National Savings and Investments (NS&I) account unless you already get other benefits paid into the account. You’ll also need to say whether during the qualifying week of 16 to 22 September 2024 you were: in hospital getting free in-patient treatment in a residential care home in prison If you disagree with a decision You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.

Report a change or cancel your payment

Contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre if you’re eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment and you: need to report a change of circumstances need to change your address or personal details want to cancel future payments want to return a payment Report any change of circumstances as soon as possible - for example, if you stop getting a benefit, move house or move into a care home. These can affect how much Winter Fuel Payment you get. If you cancel your payments, you can change this at any time. Contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre When you contact the payment centre, you’ll need to tell them your personal details like: your name your address your date of birth your National Insurance number You can either call the helpline or send a letter by post. If you’re in the UK Telephone: 0800 731 0160 Textphone: contact Relay UK on 18001 then 0800 731 0160 British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm Find out about call charges Winter Fuel Payment Centre Mail Handling Site A Wolverhampton WV98 1LR If you’re outside the UK Telephone: +44 (0)191 218 7777 Textphone: contact Relay UK on +44 (0)151 494 2022 then 0800 731 0160 British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm Find out about call charges Winter Fuel Payment Centre Mail Handling Site A Wolverhampton WV98 1ZU UK If you’ve been paid too much You may have to repay the money if you: did not report a change straight away gave wrong information were overpaid by mistake Find out how to repay the money you owe from benefit overpayment .

Winter Fuel Payment

Overview

If you were born before 23 September 1958 you could get either £200 or £300 to help you pay your heating bills for winter 2024 to 2025. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.

You may be eligible if you or your partner get certain benefits.

You will not get the extra Pensioner Cost of Living Payment given in 2022 and 2023. It stopped in winter 2023.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

If you’re eligible, you’ll get a letter in October or November saying how much you’ll get.

If you do not get a letter but you think you’re eligible, check if you need to make a claim.

Most eligible people are paid in November or December. Find out what to do if you are not paid.

If you live in Scotland

You cannot get a Winter Fuel Payment. You might be eligible for a similar payment from the Scottish Government. This will be paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Other help with heating bills

You could also get:

a Cold Weather Payment - if you get certain benefits and the temperature drops to zero degrees Celsius or below for 7 days in a row
the Warm Home Discount - this is a £150 discount on your bills if you get Pension Credit or live in a low-income household
help from the Household Support Fund, if you’re eligible under your local council’s rules - check on your local council’s website

View a printable version of the whole guide

Winter Fuel Payment

Overview

If you live in Scotland

Other help with heating bills

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Winter Fuel Payment

Overview

If you live in Scotland

Other help with heating bills

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