HOUSEHOLDS have to apply for a government benefit by a certain date if they want to qualify for this year’s Winter Fuel Payment.
The Winter Fuel Payment was previously available to everyone aged 66 and above, the current State Pension age.
Pension Credit opens up the Winter Fuel Payment and other perks[/caption]
But in July the Government announced the payment would become means-tested meaning only those on certain benefits are eligible.
This includes those on income support, tax credits and Universal Credit, but also Pension Credit.
To qualify for this year’s Winter Fuel Payment, you must have an active claim for one of the qualifying benefits during what’s known as the “qualifying week” – this year that’s from September 16 to 22.
Therefore, you would expect that the deadline to claim Pension Credit to qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment was this Sunday.
However, claims for Pension Credit can in fact be backdated by up to three months.
It means the actual, final, deadline you have to apply for Pension Credit by in order to get the Winter Fuel Payment is December 21.
If you don’t apply for Pension Credit by this date, you won’t qualify for this year’s £300.
It’s worth bearing in mind that the amount you get for the Winter Fuel Payment varies depending on your age.
If you are aged between 66 and 79 you will get £200 while those aged 80 or over will receive £300.
What is Pension Credit and who is eligible?
Pension Credit is a government benefit designed to top up your weekly income if you are a state pensioner with low earnings.
The current state pension age is 66.
There are two parts to the benefit – Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit.
Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single or your joint weekly income to £332.95 if you have a partner.
Savings Credit is extra money you get if you have some savings or your income is above the basic full state pension amount – £169.50.
Savings Credit is only available to people who reached state pension age before April 6, 2016.
Usually, you only qualify for Pension Credit if your income is below the £218.15 or £332.95 thresholds.
However, you can sometimes be eligible for Savings Credit or Guarantee Credit depending on your circumstances.
For example, if you are suffering from a severe disability and claiming Attendance Allowance, as well as other benefits, you can get an extra £81.50 a week.
Meanwhile, you can get either £66.29 a week or £76.79 a week for each child you’re responsible and caring for.
The rules behind who qualifies for Pension Credit can be complicated, so the best thing to do is just check.
You can do this by using the Government’s Pension Credit calculator on its website.
Or, you can call the Pension Service helpline on 0800 99 1234 from 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
Those in Northern Ireland have to call the Pension Centre on 0808 100 6165 from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday.
It might be worth a visit to your local Citizens Advice branch too – its staff should be able to offer you help for free.
One additional and major perk of Pension Credit is that it is known as a “gateway” benefit in that it opens up a host of other freebies and perks.
This includes a free TV licence worth £169.50 a year if you are 75 or over and council tax discounts.
If you are on the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit, you also qualify for the Warm Home Discount.
What is the Winter Fuel Payment?
Consumer reporter Sam Walker explains all you need to know about the payment.
The Winter Fuel Payment is an annual tax-free benefit designed to help cover the cost of heating through the colder months.
Most who are eligible receive the payment automatically.
Those who qualify are usually told via a letter sent in October or November each year.
If you do meet the criteria but don’t automatically get the Winter Fuel Payment, you will have to apply on the government’s website.
You’ll qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment this winter if:
- you were born on or before September 23, 1958
- you lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of September 16 to 22, 2024, known as the “qualifying week”
- you receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit, ESA, JSA, Income Support, Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit
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 EEA country
- you have a “genuine and sufficient” link with the UK social security system, such as having lived or worked in the UK and having a family in the UK
But there are exclusions – you can’t get the payment if you live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain.
This is because the average winter temperature is higher than the warmest region of the UK.
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 “qualifying week”
- lived in a care home for the whole time between 26 June to 24 September 2023, and got Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Payments are usually made between November and December, with some made up until the end of January the following year.
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