State pensioners to get 'automatic' £150 winter payment from October

State pensioners will get 'automatic' £150 winter payment from October
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


From next month until March, state pensioners are slated to receive an "automatic" £150 payment as part of the rollout of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Warm Home Discount scheme. Those with accounts from British Gas, OVO, EDF, EON, and Octopus Energy are among the beneficiaries.

The initiative guarantees an automatic £150 deduction from energy bills for those who qualify. Letters about the scheme will start reaching eligible households from October, indicating a continued commitment from the Labour Party-led government to support the discount this year.

Instead of separate payments, the discount is to be applied straight to electricity bills between October and March, though the exact timing may vary depending on the energy supplier, possibly occurring at any point up until March 2024.

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Eligibility criteria for the Warm Home Discount includes recipients of the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit. As Age UK elucidates: "If you receive Pension Credit or you're on a low income with high energy costs, you might be entitled to a £150 reduction on your electricity bill through the Warm Home Discount scheme."

Other benefits that could qualify individuals include Savings Credit (part of Pension Credit), Universal Credit, and Housing Benefit, with certain Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit claimants also potentially eligible. However, living in an energy-efficient property might disqualify you from the Warm Home Discount unless you receive the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit, reports Birmingham Live.

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If you believe the energy costs assessment is incorrect, you can challenge it by contacting the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 030 9322. If you haven't received a letter by mid-January and you think you're eligible, then you can reach out to the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 030 9322.

The deadline for this winter will be announced later in the year.

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