State pensioners have days to stop £300 Winter Fuel Payment being axed

State pensioners have just days left to guarantee they have protected their £300 Winter Fuel Payment. The new Labour Party government has moved to axe Winter Fuel Payments to people who don't claim and are eligible for Pension Credit.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves changed the eligibility rules and this winter and only households with someone aged over 66 receiving means-tested benefits including pension credit, Universal Credit and income support will get the payment.

The payment will be made automatically by the DWP to those claiming the eligible benefits on this year's qualifying week from Monday September 16 to Sunday, September 22. Those needing to claim will be able to download the claim form to post to the DWP from the Government's website from September 16.

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Those wanting to claim over the phone can do so from Thursday, October 10. The deadline to claim for this winter is March 31 2025. Over 800,000 households are eligible for pension credit but aren't claiming the benefit.

Pension Credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single or to £332.95 if you have a partner and this is known as "guarantee credit". If your income is lower than this, you're very likely to be eligible for the benefit.

However, if your income is slightly higher, you might still be eligible for pension credit if you have a disability, you care for someone, you have savings or you have housing costs. You could get an extra £81.50 a week if you have a disability or claim any of the following:

• Attendance allowance

• The middle or highest rate from the care component of disability living allowance (DLA)

• The daily living component of personal independence payment (PIP)

• Armed forces independence payment

• The daily living component of adult disability payment (ADP) at the standard or enhanced rate.

You could get the "savings credit" part of pension credit if both of the following apply:

• You reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016

• You saved some money for retirement, for example, a personal or workplace pension