UK pensioner households are set to receive a £300 cash boost from November as part of the government’s winter support payments rollout. An estimated 1.5 million pensioners will benefit from the Winter Fuel Payment this year, which aims to assist with heating costs throughout the colder months.
The payment, amounting to either £200 or £300, is available to individuals born on or before September 23, 1959, who are also receiving certain benefits. Under the previous Conservative administration, the payment was universally available to all State Pension age individuals.
However, under new Labour regulations, eligibility now requires claimants to be receiving at least one of the following from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP): Pension Credit, Universal Credit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Income Support, Child Tax Credit, or Working Tax Credit.
These revised criteria for the Winter Fuel Payment are part of a series of changes being implemented by Labour, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves poised to unveil a range of tax increases and spending reductions in her inaugural Budget announcement this week. Labour has pre-emptively indicated that the October Budget will involve some “tough decisions”, which could include tax rises.
Despite these impending changes, there will be no interruption to benefits and State Pensions in the upcoming month, with normal issuance scheduled for November, reports the Express. Here are the key dates for DWP payments:
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Universal Credit – paid every month
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Pension Credit – usually paid every four weeks
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Disability Living Allowance – usually paid every four weeks
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Personal Independence Payment -usually paid every four weeks
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Attendance Allowance – paid every four weeks
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Carer’s Allowance – paid weekly in advance or every four weeks
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Employment Support Allowance – usually paid every two weeks
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Income Support – usually paid every two weeks
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Jobseeker’s Allowance – usually paid every two weeks
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Maternity Allowance – paid every two or four weeks
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Child Benefit – usually paid every four weeks, or weekly if you’re a single parents or you or your partner get certain benefits
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Tax Credits – paid every four weeks or weekly
These benefits are usually paid directly into your bank, building society or credit union account. If the payment date falls on a weekend or a bank holiday, you’ll usually be paid on the preceding working day.
Your State Pension is typically paid directly into your bank account every four weeks. The day you receive your payment depends on the last two digits of your National Insurance number.
Most Winter Fuel Payments are made automatically in November or December. You will receive a letter from the DWP informing you of the amount you’ll receive and the bank account it will be paid into, which is usually the same account as your Pension Credit or other benefits.
If you haven’t received a letter or the money hasn’t been deposited into your account by January 29, 2025, you should get in touch with the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. The Warm Home Discount Scheme may provide a one-off £150 discount on your electricity bill this winter if you’re eligible.
If you qualify, your electricity supplier will automatically apply the discount to your bill between early October 2023 and March 31, 2025. As part of its Cold Weather Payment scheme, the DWP is offering thousands of households a free £25 handout this winter.
You’ll receive a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, 0C or below over seven consecutive days this winter. The DWP will distribute the cash after each period of cold weather, with households expected to receive it within 14 working days. You’ll receive £25 for each seven day period of very cold weather between November 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025.