DWP explains when it will release Winter Fuel Payment claims form

Thousands of households need to make a claim to get a £300 Winter Fuel Payment before a certain date, it has been warned. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed when it will release the claim form for this year's scheme, The Sun newspaper has shared.

The claims form allows certain eligible households to apply by post and this will now become available to households visiting the government website on Monday, September 16. The DWP has confirmed that those wishing to apply for support by phone can do so from Thursday, October 10.

Sir Keir Starmer, the new Prime Minister in the wake of his election victory at the start of June, previously said there is a need to be “honest with people about the choices that we face”, adding: “Things will get worse before they get better.”

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He said: “I didn’t want to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment, but it was a choice that we had to make, a choice to protect the most vulnerable pensioners while doing what is necessary to repair the public finances.” Charity Age UK said it “strongly” opposes means-testing the payment because it means “as many as two million pensioners who badly need the money to stay warm this winter will not receive it and will be in serious trouble as a result”.

Told about this warning, Sir Keir said: “So far as the winter fuel allowance is concerned, firstly I would say it’s not a particularly well-designed scheme, frankly - I think everybody would concede that. I do think it’s important that we make sure the support is there for those pensioners who need it most, which is why we’re pushing for the Pension Credit to be taken up and looking at other allowances.”

An online petition launched by Age UK shortly after Chancellor Rachel Reeves made the announcement on July 29 has received nearly 450,000 signatures of support.