One-off payments and heating bill help for older people due before Christmas (2024)

Millions of people over State Pension age are set to receive a series of one-off payments worth MORE THA £1,000 between now and the end of the year to help ease the financial pressure of higher heating bills and the ongoing cost of living crisis. There are four key payments to look out for, but one of them is paid directly to your energy supplier and may need to be claimed while the others should arrive automatically.

It’s also important to be aware that these payments are made alongside the State Pension and are tax-free. The latest statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show there are now 12.6 million people across Great Britain receiving State Pension payments of up to £203.85 each week.

Basic and New State Pensions are contributory benefits which provide crucial financial support to those who have paid at least 10 years’ worth of National Insurance contributions.

However, not everyone of State Pension age is receiving the maximum New State Pension, in fact, just 3.2m of the overall total. More than 9m people are on the Basic State Pension (retired before 2016) and receiving payments of up to £156.20 each week, although this may be topped up by Additional State Pension payments for men born before 1951 and women before April 1953.

This is why it’s important to be aware of upcoming one-off payments to help plan your household budget and spending over the winter.

October 31 - November 19: £300 cost of living payment window

The £300 payment is being sent out automatically to the account used by claimants for their Pension Credit, which means nobody needs to apply for the financial support - if you receive a text, email or phone call asking you to make a claim for any cost of living payment, it is a scam.

Thousands of people who have reached State Pension age could still receive cost of living payments worth up to £599 before Spring 2024.

Pension Credit is a retrospective benefit which can be claimed up to three months in arrears, this means a claim made before December 10 will fall within the qualifying period of August 18 - September 17 and be eligible for the £300 and £299 one-off payments.

Older people - or friends and family - can quickly check their eligibility and get an estimate of what they may receive by using the online Pension Credit calculator on GOV.UK here. Alternatively, pensioners can contact the Pension Credit helpline directly to make a claim on 0800 99 1234 - lines are open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Full details on the payment and qualifying period can be found here.

November/December: £600 Winter Fuel Payment

More than 11 million pensioner households are set to receive a one-off payment of up to £600 over the coming weeks to help with higher energy bills.

No exact dates for this year’s Winter Fuel Payment have been announced, however, DWP online guidance states that "most eligible people are paid in November or December".

People who are eligible for the annual payment should receive a letter from the DWP telling them how much to expect. This year’s payment will include the pensioner cost of living payment, which is worth either £150 or £300 and means eligible households could receive between £250 and £600 to offset higher energy usage during the colder months.

The payments will be made automatically into the same account where the State Pension is paid. People who received the one-off lump sum last year should receive it again this year.

It’s important to note that to be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, you must have been born before September 25, 1957 and lived in the UK for at least one day during the qualifying week of 18 to 24 September 2023.

If you did 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.

Full details on how much you should receive, including the pensioner cost of living payment can be found here.

October - March: £150 Warm Home Discount Scheme

The money is paid directly by the DWP to energy suppliers between October and March.

The Warm Home Discount Scheme for winter 2023/24 is now open with most energy providers and gives people on certain benefits £150 off their electricity bill.

The scheme eligibility rules changed last year and means some people may no longer qualify and others might need to apply as they will not receive the discount directly - people in Scotland need to apply, however, it depends on your energy provider. Check the dedicated ‘Warm Home Discount’ section on their website.

Eligible households may also be able to get the discount off their gas bill instead - if their supplier provides them with both gas and electricity, just contact them once the scheme opens to find out.

If you’re a credit customer the £150 will be added to your electricity account and if you’re on Pay As You Go or Prepayment, you’ll be sent a voucher that you can use to top-up your meter.

An overview and full list of participating suppliers is on GOV.UK here.

December: DWP £10 Christmas Bonus

This is a one-off, tax-free £10 payment automatically made to people in receipt of State Pension if they meet the eligibility during a specific qualifying period, which is typically the first full week of December (4-10 for 2023)- find out more here.

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