DWP payments worth £1,085 being issued before Christmas - who can claim
The Department for Work and Pensions is set to distribute five payments totalling £1085 before Christmas. This comes despite the Winter Fuel Payment and Winter Fuel Allowance being scrapped by the new Labour Party government.
Households facing financial difficulties can expect a series of payments exceeding £1k. This timely cash injection will be a welcome relief as we head into the festive season, a period often marked by high expenditure for those on benefits.
In addition to the Winter Fuel Payment, assistance is available for customers of British Gas, OVO, EDF, EON and Octopus. This aid is provided through the Warm Home Discount scheme, which offers eligible households a £150 reduction on their electricity bill.
The discount is either credited directly to their energy account or issued as vouchers for prepayment customers. The scheme, available in England, Scotland and Wales, is due to reopen in October. But that's not all.
Birmingham Live has compiled a list of six payments set to hit bank accounts before the year ends.
Winter Fuel Payment - £300
If you were born before 23 September 1958, you could be eligible for either £200 or £300 to assist with your winter heating bills for 2024 to 2025. This is known as the 'Winter Fuel Payment'. Eligibility may depend on whether you or your partner receive certain benefits. Typically, if you qualify, the Winter Fuel Payment is automatically processed.
However, you will not receive the additional Pensioner Cost of Living Payment given in 2022 and 2023, as it was discontinued in winter 2023. You are not eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment. However, the Scottish Government is planning to introduce a similar payment which will be distributed by the DWP if you qualify.
Cold Weather Payments - £25
You may also be entitled to a Cold Weather Payment if you receive certain benefits and the temperature drops to zero degrees Celsius or below for 7 consecutive days. These payments are valued at £25 and are granted when the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecasted to be, 0C or below over seven consecutive days.
It's possible to receive multiple payments if there are several periods of freezing weather. The scheme typically begins in November and continues until the end of March, covering the winter months.
To be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment, you need to reside in England or Wales and be claiming one of these benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest: Pension Credit, Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit or support for Mortgage Interest.
Warm Home Discount - £150
You might also be eligible for a Warm Home Discount, which is a £150 reduction on your bills if you receive Pension Credit or live in a low-income household. The Warm Home Discount Scheme provides a one-off payment of £150 to electricity customers who may struggle to pay their energy bills during the cold winter months.
The Warm Home Discount is a government initiative that mandates electricity suppliers to provide additional support to those at risk of fuel poverty, offering a £150 rebate to qualifying customers. The scheme consists of three components:
Core Group 1
Eligible customers in receipt of Guarantee Pension Credit will be identified by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and should receive their rebate from us automaticallyCore Group 2
Eligible customers in England and Wales no longer need to apply and will be identified by the DWP automaticallyScotland Broader Group
Customers in Scotland who are not eligible for Core Group 1 must apply each year
Household Support Fund - £600
Eligible individuals can receive cash based on their local council's criteria, which can be checked on the council's website. Some struggling households will receive £600 to assist with food, energy costs, and clothing expenses through the Household Support Fund (HSF), valued at £421 million.
This fund provides financial assistance to low-income households for shopping, bills, or other necessities. The London Borough of Richmond on Thames, for example, is providing up to £600 in aid to thousands of households.
DWP Christmas bonus - £10
Typically disbursed in the first week of December, this tax-free £10 bonus is available to individuals claiming certain benefits, including carer's allowance, personal independence payment (PIP), and pension credit. However, those solely claiming universal credit are not eligible.
An online petition calling for an increase in the payment has garnered over 15,000 signatures. It urges the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to consider adjusting the amount in line with inflation, noting that the £10 sum has remained static since 1972.
If this one-off bonus were increased in line with inflation over those 52 years, the payment would be lifted to £114.75, according to Bank of England data. However, if it was increased by the latest inflation figures, it would only reach £10.22.