Parliament has agreed that the Winter Fuel Allowance payable 2024 will be limited to pensioners in receipt of Pensions Credits and certain other means-tested benefits.
Pensioners who are eligible to claim Pensions Credits and have not done so need to be entitled to Pension Credits for at least one day in the week September 16th to 22nd.
Pensioners are being urged to apply for Pension Credits, a benefit that could be worth on average �3,900 per year as well as providing access to the Winter Fuel payments.
Applications for Pension Credit can be made:
On the How to Claim page Over the phone by calling 0800 99 1234 (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm) By printing out and filling in a paper application form For more information visit the Pension Credit GOV.UK page.
Recent estimates confirm that 880,000 pensioners who are eligible to make a claim have not yet done so.
The simplest way to apply is to call the claims line 0800 99 1234.
Families, friends and neighbours are being encouraged to reach out to retired family members to encourage them to check their eligibility and apply. 21 December is the last possible date to make a successful backdated claim in order to receive the Winter Fuel Payment.
Eligibility
You can get a Winter Fuel Payment for Winter 2024-25 if you were born before 23 September 1958.
You must also live in England or Wales and get one of the following:
Pension CreditUniversal Creditincome-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)Income SupportChild Tax CreditWorking Tax Credit
In some circumstances, you might be eligible if you live abroad.
You will not be eligible if you
live in Scotland;have been in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year;were in prison for the whole of the week of 16 to 22 September 2024; orwere living in a care home for the whole time from 24 June to 22 September 2024.