Key dates for Winter Fuel Payment 2024 and who gets it after huge changes

Older man looking at bills
-Credit: (Image: Getty Images)


Key dates have been confirmed for the Winter Fuel Payment 2024. The Department for Work and Pensions says eligibility was determined during the week of September 16-22 when people's ages, benefit entitlements and circumstances were checked.

The DWP says that if you're eligible, you will get a letter in October or November saying how much you will receive. It says most people will get their allowance, which is either £200 or £300, in November or December.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that the payment will from now on be restricted to those on Pension Credit along with mixed-age households on some other means-tested benefits. Labour's policy change will reduce the number of qualifying pensioners from 11.4 million to 1.5 million – most of whom claim Pension Credit – in a move expected to save around £1.4 billion this year.

About 880,000 people expected to lose the Winter Fuel Payment this year are pensioners who are entitled to Pension Credit but not claiming it. An increase in take-up through awareness campaigns is expected to reduce this number to 780,000.

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The Winter Fuel Payment will go to those who reached State Pension age by September 22 this year and are on eligible benefits. If you live alone, you will get either £200 if you were born between September 23, 1944, and September 22, 1958, or £300 if you were born before September 23, 1944.

If you live with someone and either you or your partner jointly claim any of the qualifying benefits, one of you will get a payment of either £200 if either or both of you were born between September 23, 1944, and September 22, 1958, or £300 if you were born before September 23, 1944.

People who live in care homes are also eligible if they satisfy the criteria. Anyone who reached State Pension age after September 22 won't be considered for the scheme until next winter.

The changes are confirmed in Labour's new Public Spending Audit for 2024/2025, presented to Parliament by the Chancellor before she made her speech. The audit states: "Winter Fuel Payments will be targeted from winter 2024-25 at households in England and Wales with someone aged over State Pension age receiving Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and income-related Employment and Support Allowance.

"They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged over 80. This will better target support for heating costs at those who need it, while all pensioners will benefit from the government’s commitment to maintain the triple lock for the basic and new State Pension in this Parliament. Winter Fuel Payments are devolved in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

"The government wants those entitled to Pension Credit to claim it. The government will bring together the administration of Pension Credit and Housing Benefit as soon as operationally possible, so that pensioner households receiving Housing Benefit also receive any Pension Credit that they are entitled to. The Department for Work and Pensions will continue to work with partners to encourage take-up alongside their own communication campaigns and to support people with their Pension Credit claims."

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