DWP is sending letters to people who will receive Cost of Living Help
The Winter Fuel Payment is worth up to £300, but the government is now adding an additional pensioner's cost of living payment of £300 to help with rising bills. People who are eligible in Lincolnshire, including LincolnGrimsby, Scunthorpe, Boston, Skegness and Grantham will receive letters telling them how much they will receive.
State pensioners who are eligible for a winter fuel payment worth up to £600 will start receiving a letter from Work and Pensions (DWP).
The Winter Fuel Payment is normally worth up to £300, depending on your living conditions and circumstances, but due to the cost of living crisis the government is adding an extra payment of £300 for pensioners to help with rising bills.
Eligible people will automatically receive the pensioners' cost of living payment together with the winter fuel payment, which can result in a total payment of up to £600.
To qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment, you must have been born before 25 September 1957 and have lived in the UK for at least one day between 18 September and 24 September 2023.
However, there are exceptions to this rule, which we will discuss later. Most households in receipt of benefits such as State Pension, Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Carer's Allowance and more will automatically receive the Winter Fuel Payment.
Here's a full list of the benefits that make households eligible for the payment:
State pension
Pension credit
Attendance bonus
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Help for carer
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Income support
Employment Allowance and Income-related Support (ESA)
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
War Pension Plan Awards
Disability benefit due to occupational accidents
Disability benefit
Benefit for industrial death
Additional eligibility criteria
If you are not in receipt of the above benefits, have deferred your State Pension or live abroad, you may still be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment in certain circumstances.
If you moved to an eligible country before 1 January 2021, were born before 25 September 1957 and have a real and sufficient link with the UK, you may qualify.
Winter fuel payment request
Most eligible people will receive a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in October or November, informing them of their eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment.
Payments are usually disbursed in November or December. However, if you don't receive a letter but think you're eligible, or if you need to apply by mail or phone, you can follow these steps:
If you need to claim by post, download the form for your location from the Gov.uk website.
Complete the form and send it to the Winter Fuel Payment Center at the following address: Winter Fuel Payment Centre, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1ZU, United Kingdom.
If you prefer to apply by phone, you can call the Winter Fuel Payment Helpline on 0191 218 7777.
It is important to note that the deadline for making a claim for winter 2023/24 is 31 March 2024.
Exceptions to eligibility
While the Winter Fuel Payment provides much-needed support for many pensioners, there are certain circumstances where people may not be eligible to receive the payment. These circumstances include:
Being in hospital and receiving free treatment for more than a year.
You need permission to enter the UK and the permission granted states that you cannot claim public funds.
To be in prison for the entire week of September 18-24, 2023.
Also, if you live in a residence, you will not receive the winter fuel payment if you meet the following criteria:
You will receive pension credit, income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA) or income-related employment and support allowance (ESA).
You resided in a residence from June 26 to September 24, 2023.