Winter fuel payments scrapped for millions – check to see if you qualify for cash

MILLIONS of pensioners could be left in the cold this winter as Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the universal winter fuel payments will be slashed.

Only those on Pension Credit, or other means-tested benefits, will qualify for up to £300 in energy bill help starting this year.

Pixel8000

Chancellor Rachel Reeves makes a statement in the Commons[/caption]

Until now, winter fuel payments have been made available to everyone above state pension age.

Ms Reeves said it was a “difficult decision” and not one she wanted to make.

Her comments came as she revealed plans to tackle a projected overspend of £22 billion.

She told the Commons: “The scale of the situation we are dealing with means incredibly tough choices.

“From this year onwards, the Government will continue to provide winter fuel payments worth £200 for households receiving pension credit, or £300 for households in receipt of pension credit with someone over the age of 80.

“Let me be clear, this is not a decision I wanted to make, nor is it the one that I expected to make, but these are the necessary and urgent decisions that I must make.”

The winter fuel payment is designed to help pensioners pay for their energy bills over the winter.

This is typically when households use more energy due to the colder weather.

This has led charities and organisations to express their concerns over scrapping universal winter fuel payments.

Gillian Cooper, director of energy policy at Citizens Advice, said the move could put low-income pensioners at risk.

She added: “The current Winter Fuel Payment is not well targeted and is too low to make a real difference to pensioners who need help most.

“As we go into this winter, we need to see targeted support with energy bills for all those in desperate need, including low-income families and pensioners.

“Changes to eligibility to winter fuel payment will create some uncertainty. We will need to see better support for people to understand how this change impacts them, and how they can continue accessing the help they need.”

Meanwhile, Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert, said the targeting of the help is “too narrow” with energy bills expected to rise again this autumn.

He said: “Pensioners were already due to get less as this will be the first time since winter 2022 they haven’t got the up to £300 extra winter fuel cost of living top-up.

“The Energy Price Cap is likely to rise 10% this October and stay high across the winter, leaving most energy bills nearly double that pre-crisis, at levels unaffordable for millions.”

How much is the winter fuel payment?

Payments last year were worth between £300 and £600, depending on your specific circumstances.

This is because the amount included a “Pensioner Cost of Living Payment” – between £150 and £300. 

However, the payment is usually worth between £100 and £300.

That means depending on your circumstances you could receive up to £600 in free cash.

Who is eligible for the winter fuel payment?

In most cases, you will get a winter fuel payment if you were born before September 25, 1957.

You also usually need to live in the UK, but you might also qualify if you moved to a specific country before January 1, 2021, and have a link to the UK.

This includes having lived or worked in the UK or having family in the UK. The list of eligible countries is:

• 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

In some circumstances, you won’t be eligible for the winter fuel payment, even if you were born before September 25, 1957.

You won’t qualify if:

• you have been in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year
• you need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave says that you cannot claim public funds
• you were in prison for the whole of the week of 18 to 24 September 2023

Those living in a care home will also not be eligible for a winter fuel payment, if both of the following apply:

• you get pension credit, income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) or income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
• you lived in a care home for the whole time from June 26 to September 24, 2023

Do I need to apply for the payment?

In the vast majority of cases you don’t have to claim the winter fuel payment, say for example if you receive any of the following benefits:

• state pension
• pension credit
• attendance allowance
• personal independence payment (PIP)
• carers 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

If you are not on one of the above, you will need to claim if either of the following applies:

• you’ve not received the winter fuel payment before
• you’ve deferred your state pension since your last winter fuel payment

Anyone who needs to apply for the winter fuel payment has until March 31 to do so.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories