DWP issues code which means people will wake up to bonus £300 payment
The Department for Work and Pensions has shared the exact code to spot when £300 winter fuel payment hit bank accounts. The DWP says, for those living in England and Wales, the payment will show up as the customer's National Insurance (NI) number followed by "DWP WFP".
For those in Northern Ireland it will show up as the person's NI number followed by "DFC WFP". So, if you live in England and your NI number is QQ123456B the payment would show up as QQ123456B DWP WFP, the DWP has explained.
Most payments are made automatically in November or December. You’ll get a letter telling you how much you’ll get and which bank account it will be paid into - this is usually the same account as your Pension Credit or other benefits.
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If you do not get a letter or the money has not been paid into your account by 29 January 2025, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. 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 and you were born before 23 September 1958 and 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.
You only need to claim Winter Fuel Payment if you’ve not got it since you moved abroad. The rest of the time, you’ll get the payment automatically. You can claim Winter Fuel Payment by post - from 30 September 2024 and phone - from 28 October 2024.
The deadline for you to make a claim for winter 2024 to 2025 is 31 March 2025. You’ll need to download and fill in a Winter Fuel Payment claim form and form IPCF091, if you’re a UK national or UK dual national living in an eligible country other than Ireland.
Send your completed forms to the following address: Winter Fuel Payment Centre, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1ZU, UK.