Pensioners across the UK have this week started to receive Winter Fuel Payments. On Monday (November 25), 1.3 million pensioner households across England and Wales began to receive up to £300 in Winter Fuel Payments.
The majority of these payments will be automatically deposited into pensioners’ bank accounts, directly assisting vulnerable households with their energy bills.
Those born between 23 September 1944 and 22 September 1958 are eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment of £200, while those born before 23 September 1944 can receive £300. The payment, which will have a reference beginning with the customer’s National Insurance number followed by ‘DWP WFP’, will be credited to bank accounts from 25 November.
If a payment is not received by 29 January 2025, the department should be contacted. In a statement, the DWP said: “The Government continues to urge pensioners on a low income to apply for Pension Credit before the 21 December deadline – all eligible claimants would receive up to £300 with the Winter Fuel Payment as well as any backdated Pension Credit arrears where applicable.
“Pension Credit could be worth on average up to £3,900 a year and acts as a gateway to other important benefits including help with housing costs, council tax reductions and NHS treatment costs. The Pension Credit standard minimum guarantee will soon be worth £227.10 a week for a single person and £346.60 for a couple.
“This Government is also providing further protection against energy costs this winter for low-income households through DWP’s Cold Weather Payments, paid from 01 November until the end of March 2025.”
Eligible households will receive an automatic bank top-up of £25 when the average temperature in their area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees or below over seven consecutive days. The DWP said the £150 Warm Home Discount scheme has been extended, and an additional £1 billion has been allocated for the Household Support Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments in 2025 -26.