Over a million households will see payments of up to £300 land in bank accounts this week from DWP

Over one million pensioner households across England and Wales will receive winter fuel payments this week. The payment started landing in bank accounts on Monday, November 25.

Those who are eligible will receive up to £300 automatically into their bank accounts. The value of a winter fuel payment is £200 for people born between September 23, 1944 and September 22 1958. It will be an increased payment of £300 for those born before September 23 1944.

To check if the cash bonus has landed into your bank account, the DWP advise the reference will begin with your National Insurance number followed by 'DWP WFP'. If you are eligible and do not receive the payment by the end of January you should contact the Department for Work and Pensions.

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Pensioners have been urged to apply for Pension Credit before the December 21 deadline. Eligible claimants would receive up to £300 with the Winter Fuel Payment as well as any backdated Pension Credit arrears where applicable. The winter fuel payment is designed to help vulnerable households with their energy bills.

Eligibility for winter fuel payment

You can get a Winter Fuel Payment for Winter 2024 to 2025 if you were born before 23 September 1958.

You must also live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and get one of the following:

• Pension Credit

• Universal Credit

• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

• Income Support

• Child Tax Credit

• Working Tax Credit

You’ll also need to have been getting a benefit during the qualifying week of 16 to 22 September 2024.

The Labour Government scaled back the previously universal cash packages so only claimants of certain benefits, including pension credit and universal credit, will receive them after Ms Reeves described a £22bn “black hole” in the public finances, made up of unfunded spending commitments.

Earlier this year, it was announced around 10 million pensioners in England and Wales will lose their winter fuel payments under new plans announced by the chancellor. Those not on pension credit or other means-tested benefits will no longer get the annual payments, worth between £100 and £300.

The chancellor announced that winter 2024 will be the first time pensioners in England and Wales will not be eligible for the payment. Instead, the payments will be restricted to those on benefits and pension credit. To be eligible for pension credit you need to be above state pension age and have an income of less that £218.15 a week or less than £332.95 as a joint weekly income with your partner.