Thousands of people are entitled to a DWP winter fuel payment to help pay for gas and electric when they need it most during the colder months, with around £300 available.
Benefit claimants and pensioners will receive the payout with amounts depending on specific circumstance - as Birmingham Live reports.
According to the DWP, 11.4 million people received the payment in the previous winter period of 2019/2020.
Winter Fuel Payments are normally made in November and December - and you should have had your money by January 14, 2022.
The Winter Fuel Payment, often referred to as a heating allowance, is an annual tax-free payment from the DWP - those eligible can receive between £100-£300 each year.
Who is eligible?
In order to qualify for this year's Winter Fuel Payment, you must have been born on or before September 26, 1955, and have lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of September 20 to 26, 2021 - this is called the qualifying week.
Those who were not in the UK during that qualifying week may still be eligible if they live in Switzerland or a European Economic Area (EEA) country; or 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.
The money is paid automatically to people who receive the State Pension or one of these four benefits: Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
How much support will you get from the Winter Fuel Payment
1. You qualify and live alone (or none of the people you live with qualify)
- Born between September 27, 1941 and September 26, 1955 - £200
- Born on or before September 26, 1941 - £300
2. You qualify and live with someone under 80 who also qualifies
- Born between September 27, 1941 and September 26, 1955 - £100
- Born on or before September 26, 1941 - £200
3. You qualify and live with someone 80 or over who also qualifies
- Born between September 27, 1941 and September 26, 1955 - £100
- Born on or before September 26, 1941 - £150
4. You qualify, live in a care home and do not get certain benefits
- Born between September 27, 1941 and September 26, 1955 - £100
- Born on or before September 26, 1941 - £150
5. You qualify, get one of the four benefits and live alone (or none of the people you live with qualify)
- Born between September 27, 1941 and September 26, 1955 - £200
- Born on or before September 26, 1941 - £300
6. You qualify and live with someone who also gets one of the four benefits
- Born on or before September 26, 1941 - £300
- Born between September 27, 1941 and September 26, 1955 - £200
Those who live in a care home and get any of the four benefits mentioned above aren't eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment.
Others may have to manually put in a claim by contacting the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160.
You only need to claim if any of the following apply:
- you do not get benefits or a State Pension
- you only get Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit
- you get benefits or a State Pension but live in Switzerland or an EEA country
If you have had a Winter Fuel Payment before, you only need to claim if you have subsequently deferred your State Pension, or moved to Switzerland or an EEA country.
Winter Fuel Payments are separate to the Cold Weather Payment and Warm Home Discount schemes.
