As the cost of living rises and temperatures continue to drop, many older people will worry about their heating bills. The Winter Fuel Payment is designed to help those born before September 26, 1956 with this.
This year, the amount a person will get includes a Pensioner Cost of Living Payment of between £150 and £300.
It means in total, Britons could get between £250 and £600 to help with heating costs.
Most payments are made automatically in November or December.
Individuals should have already received a letter telling them:
- How much they will get
- Which bank account it will be paid into – this is usually the same account as a state pension or other benefits.
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Those who do not get any of these will need to claim if either of the following apply:
- A person has not got the Winter Fuel Payment before
- A person has deferred their state pension since their last Winter Fuel Payment.
If a person does need to claim the Winter Fuel Payment, they can do so by phone or post if living in the UK.
Once again, Britons can call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre, but will need to know specific information to progress their claim.
This includes:
- National Insurance number
- Bank or building society details
- Date a person was married or entered into a civil partnership (if appropriate).
The final deadline for people to make a claim for the current year is March 31, 2023.
People should also be aware payments cannot be made into an NS&I account, unless a person is already receiving other benefits here.