DWP Winter Fuel Payments landing in bank accounts 'from today'

Around 1.3 million pensioner households will start to receive up to £300 in Winter Fuel Payments across England and Wales from Monday, November 25, the DWP has confirmed. The vast majority of these payments will land in pensioners’ bank accounts automatically.

The value of a Winter Fuel Payment is £200 for people born between September 23, 1944, and September 22, 1958, and £300 for those born before September 23, 1944. The payment will be credited to bank accounts from November 25, with the payment reference beginning with the customer’s National Insurance number followed by ‘DWP WFP’. Those who do not receive a payment by January 29, 2025, should contact the department.

However, the payment this winter has been the subject of controversy after the Labour government, which came to power in July, chose to make it means-tested. This means pensioners who receive other benefits, such as Pension Credit, will be the only ones to receive it, rather than all pensioners as previously.

READ MORE: Contagious new 'Kawasaki bug' sweeps UK as GP warns people to 'stay at home'

READ MORE: DWP Christmas Bonus payment to enter bank account for millions as dates confirmed

The Government has defended the decision, saying many people who received it were wealthy enough not to need it. But campaigners have slammed the move, saying it will leave many pensioners in trouble during the coldest month of the year.

In October, charity Age UK said its analysis suggested that 10.7 million UK pensioners would lose the benefit, of whom almost one in four (23%) lived in poverty – with a household income of less than 60% of the median – or just above the poverty line. The charity found that 80% – or 800,0000 – of UK pensioners aged 80 and over living in poverty or just above the poverty line will no longer receive the payment, as well as 78% – or 1.1 million – of pensioners with a disability living in the same circumstances.

Since making the decison, the Government has pushed pensioners to check if they're eligible for Pension Credit, which tops those on a low income. It said hundreds of thousands of eligible people did not claim it when they could.

A DWP spokesperson said on Monday: "The Government continues to urge pensioners on a low income to apply for Pension Credit before the December 21 deadline – all eligible claimants would receive up to £300 with the Winter Fuel Payment as well as any backdated Pension Credit arrears where applicable.

"Pension Credit could be worth on average up to £3,900 a year and acts as a gateway to other important benefits including help with housing costs, council tax reductions and NHS treatment costs. The Pension Credit standard minimum guarantee will soon be worth £227.10 a week for a single person and £346.60 for a couple.

"This Government is also providing further protection against energy costs this winter for low-income households through DWP’s Cold Weather Payments, paid from November 1 until the end of March 2025. These are an automatic bank top-up of £25, paid to eligible households when the average temperature in the area has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, zero degrees or below over seven consecutive days.

"In addition, the £150 Warm Home Discount scheme has been extended, alongside an additional £1 billion for the Household Support Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments in 2025 -26, demonstrating this Government’s commitment to addressing immediate hardship and crisis for vulnerable families across the country.

"Alongside this seasonal support, the government is committed to supporting pensioners all year round. This includes increasing the basic and new State Pension by 4.1 percent from April 2025, which means the full rate of the new State Pension will rise to over £12,000 a year."