How do I know if I am entitled to the fuel allowance?

To qualify for Fuel Allowance, your means must be less than the maximum State Pension (Contributory) at 66, including any increases you could get for dependents or living alone, plus an additional €200 . This is called the 'assessable income limit'.

Who is eligible for winter fuel allowance UK overseas residents?

If you do not live in the UK, you're only eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment if: you moved to an eligible country before 1 January 2021 . you were born before 25 September 1957. you have a genuine and sufficient link to the UK - this can include having lived or worked in the UK, and having family in the UK.

Can I get the winter fuel payment if I live in France?

If you live in another European Economic Area. See full definition country or Switzerland, you may still be eligible if you have a genuine link with the UK (excluding Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Spain) .

Who is not entitled to fuel allowance?

If a person is in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment and a benefit then Fuel Allowance is not paid. ii) Working Family Payment (WFP) is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance. However, if a person is in receipt of One-Parent Family Payment and WFP they may be entitled to the allowance.

How do I apply for living alone allowance?

Fill in a Living Alone Increase application form (pdf). Send the completed form to the section of the Department of Social Protection that pays your main pension or benefit .

How do you get fuel in France?

In France, you pump and then you pay; you do not have to pay first . When you finish pumping, all you have to do is go inside and tell the attendant your pump number and he/she will understand. Supermarkets in France sell gas and diesel, and are much cheaper than at gas stations.

Who will get a double social welfare payment?

Over the course of this week, a Double Lump Sum Payment will be issued to the likes of our pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, lone parents and low income families . The January Bonus is the ninth lump sum payment secured by Minister Humphreys under Budget 2024.

What is the supplementary welfare allowance?

Supplementary Welfare Allowance is a payment to people that have no income . Outlines the conditions for entitlement to basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance including the means test. Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) are responsible for the day to day administration of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme.

What is the telephone support allowance?

What is the Telephone Support Allowance? The Telephone Support Allowance (TSA) is an extra weekly payment for people on certain social welfare payments who are also getting both the Living Alone Increase and the Fuel Allowance . It can help people living alone with the cost of communications or a home alert system.

What is working family payment?

Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly tax-free payment for employees with children . To qualify for WFP, your average total weekly family income must be below a certain amount for your family size. WFP pays 60% of the difference between your total family income and the income limit which applies to your family.

Three groups of older people may need to claim Winter Fuel Payments this year (2024)

A new video shared on YouTube by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) explains everything older people need to know about the Winter Fuel Payment, including eligibility, how and when the money is paid, and the three groups of people who may need to make a claim. Payments this year include the pensioner cost of living payment, worth £300, which means eligible households could receive up to £600.

The short video offers a good snapshot of what to expect, especially if you’ve never received the payment before and makes it easy to understand who is likely to receive the higher payment of £600 - those over 80, not living in a care home. Those aged between 66 and 79 will most-likely receive a one-off payment of £500.

The three groups of people who may not receive the payments automatically include those who have never received the Winter Fuel Payment before, those who do not get the State Pension or certain benefits and those who have recently retired abroad. You can check if you need to claim on the GOV.UK website here.

Last year, more than 11 million pensioner households received Winter Fuel Payments of up to £600 and the DWP has said over 8 million will receive the additional £300 cost of living payment this year.

People who are due the one-off lump sum should receive a letter from the DWP telling them how much money to expect ahead of payments arriving between November and January.

It’s important to note 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, you may also 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 said the pensioner cost of living payment will be made alongside the Winter Fuel Payment in November or December. The money will be paid into the account where the State Pension or other benefits are usually paid.

Payments will continue until January 26, 2024. If you haven’t received a letter from DWP or the payment by that date, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160 (living in the UK), or +44 (0)191 218 7777 (living outside the UK). Full contact details can be found on GOV.UK here.

You can watch the Winter Fuel Payment video on YouTube here.

Who does not need to make a claim for Winter Fuel Payment?

You do not need to claim if you get any of the following:

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

How to make a claim

You can claim Winter Fuel Payment by post or over the phone.

Claim by post

Fill in a Winter Fuel Payment claim form for UK residents and send it to the Winter Fuel Payment Centre - the form and address details are on GOV.UK here.

Claim over the phone

Contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160 - lines are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm. Before making the call have your National Insurance number, bank or building society details and the date you were married or entered into a civil partnership (if appropriate) to hand.

How much you will be paid

Any money you get is tax-free and will not affect your other benefits.

Top State Pension News

450,000 to miss out on April pay rise
Pension pay rise better than tax cut
More State Pensioners set to pay tax
State Pension payment letters update

If you live alone or no one you live with is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment

You will get either:

£500 if you were born between September 25, 1943 and September 24, 1957 (aged between 66 and 79)
£600 if you were born before September 25, 1943 (aged 80 and over)

If you live with someone else who’s eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment

Your payment may be different if you get one of the following benefits:

Pension Credit
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Income Support

If you do not get any of the benefits listed above

You will get a payment of either:

If you and your partner jointly claim any of the benefits listed above

One of you will get a payment of either:

£500 if both of you were born between September 25, 1943 and September 24, 1957 (aged between 66 and 79)
£600 if one or both of you were born before September 25, 1943 (aged 80 and over)

Winter heating bill help

£600 Winter Fuel Payment ends this week
Claim £55 heating payment this month
Calls to increase Warm Home Discount
New £300 heating payment starts in 2024

If you get any of the benefits listed above (not as part of a joint claim)

You will get a payment of either:

£500 if you were born between September 25, 1943 and September 24, 1957 (aged between 66 and 79)
£600 if you were born before September 25, 1943 (aged 80 and over)

If you live in a care home

If you are eligible you will get either:

£250 if you were born between September 25, 1943 and September 24, 1957
£300 if you were born before September 25, 1943

Eligibility if you live in a care home

You can get Winter Fuel Payment if you live in a care home. You will not be eligible 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 26 June to 24 September 2023

Get the latest Record Money news

Three groups of older people may need to claim Winter Fuel Payments this year (13)

Join the conversation on our Money Saving Scotland Facebook group for energy and money-saving tips, the latest benefits news, consumer help and advice on coping with the cost of living crisis.

Sign up to our Record Money newsletter and get the top stories sent to your inbox daily from Monday to Friday, including a special cost of living edition on a Thursday - sign up here.

You can also follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @Recordmoney_ for regular updates throughout the day.

NEW - Get our money news alerts on your phone by joining our Daily Record Money WhatsApp community.

Who is not eligible for Winter Fuel Payments 2023/24?

You will not be eligible if you:

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

You can read the full guide to this year's Winter Fuel Payment on GOV.UK here.

Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.

Story Saved

You can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.