Winter Fuel Payment

If you were born on or before 25 September 1957 you could get between £250 and £600 to help you pay your heating bills.

This includes a 'Pensioner Cost of Living Payment'. This is between £150 and £300. You’ll only get this extra amount in winter 2023 to 2024.

The deadline for claiming payments for winter 2023/2024 is 26 January 2024.

You usually get a Winter Fuel Payment automatically if you are eligible and you get the State Pension or another social security benefit (not Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit, Universal Credit or Adult Disability Payment).

If you're eligible but aren't paid automatically, you will need to make a claim.

How to qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment

You qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment if both the following apply:

• you were born on or before 25 September 1957
• you lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of 18 to 24 September 2023 - this is called the 'qualifying week'

If you did not live in the UK during the qualifying week, you might still get the payment if both the following apply:

• you live in Switzerland or a European Economic Area (EEA) country
• you have a genuine and sufficient link to the UK - this can include having lived or worked in the UK, and having family in the UK

You will not qualify if

You live in any of the countries listed below. This is because the average winter temperature is higher in these countries than the warmest region of the UK.

• Cyprus
• France
• Gibraltar
• Greece
• Malta
• Portugal
• Spain

You will also not qualify if you:

• are in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year
• need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave states that you can not claim public funds
• were in prison for the whole week from 18 to 24 September 2023
• lived in a care home for the whole time from 26 June to 24 September 2023, and got Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance

How much will I get?

How much you get depends on your circumstances during the qualifying week.

Winter Fuel Payment: What you'll get.

Any money you get is tax-free and will not affect your other benefits.

How to claim

You usually do not need to claim Winter Fuel Payment - you'll get it automatically if you're eligible.

You will need to claim it if you've not had it before and any of the following apply:

• you do not get benefits or a State Pension
• The only benefit you get is Adult Disability Payment from the Scottish Government, Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction or Child Benefit
• live in Switzerland or an EEA country

You also need to claim Winter Fuel Payment if you've deferred your State Pension, even if you had it before. You only need to do this once.

Most payments are made automatically between November and December. You should get your money by 26 January 2024.

More information can be found at www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment.