State pensioners told code on bank account means they're owed £300 each

An exact code on bank accounts which means state pensioners are owed £300 from the Department for Work and Pensions has been revealed. The DWP says if you were born before 23 September 1958 you could get either £200 or £300 to help you pay your heating bills for winter 2024 to 2025. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.

To be eligible for this year's support payment, you need to be over the state pension age of 66 and claiming one of the following benefits between September 16 and September 22, 2024: Income Support OR Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance POR Income-related Employment and Support Allowance OR Pension Credit OR Universal Credit.

The reference for the payment in your bank account will be your National Insurance number followed by "DWP WFP". You will not be eligible if you live in Scotland or have been in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year or were in prison for the whole of the week of 16 to 22 September 2024 or were living in a care home for the whole time from 24 June to 22 September 2024.

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If you live in Scotland, you might be eligible for a similar payment from the Scottish Government. This will be paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). You can get a Winter Fuel Payment if you get certain benefits and are eligible or you have lived in a care home for less than 13 weeks including the week of 16 to 22 September 2024.

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

You’ll be paid into the bank account your benefits are usually paid into.