People of State Pension age may be due up to £600 heating bill help this winter
28.09.2022 - 07:11
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently updated online guidance to make it simpler for eight million pensioner households to find out if they are eligible for a £300 cost of living payment this winter. This one-off lump sum will be added to their annual Winter Fuel Payment, due to be paid over November and December, but to be eligible for the extra financial support pensioners need to have met certain conditions last week.
To be eligible for this year's Winter Fuel Payment, you must have been born on or before September 25, 1956 and lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of 19 to 25 September 2022 - this is called the ‘qualifying week’.
If you do not meet either of these qualifying criteria, or if you live abroad, you may 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 guidance on GOV.UK states that most payments are made automatically in November or December, but the money should be paid by January 13, 2023 at the latest. The only way to know if you have received it, is to check your account.
The DWP has also clarified the payment amounts for several household scenarios including where someone lives on their own, with a partner over or under 80, or whether wither of them receive other benefits. These include Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Income Support.
The Winter Fuel Payment, including the extra Pensioner Cost of Living Payment, is not taxable and does not affect eligibility for other benefits. However, the full amount you will get for winter 2022 to 2023 depends on your