Millions of pensioners are set to receive up to £600 in extra financial help this winter.
The money is made up of the annual Winter Fuel Payment, worth up to £300 depending on your age and circumstances, plus a £300 pensioner cost of living payment.
For the winter period just gone, more than 11million people received this support.
Winter Fuel Payments will be available again this year, with the pensioner cost of living payment automatically paid on top.
However, the Government has not yet given an exact date for when households can expect the support to hit their bank accounts.
Last year, most people received the cash automatically in November or December.
Some people have to apply and the deadline to do this is normally the following March.
Here is what you need to know.
Who is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment?
You can get a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2023/24 if you were born before September 24, 1957.
You also need to have lived in the UK for at least one day in the qualifying week.
The qualifying week is normally the week beginning from the third Monday in September.
Here is the eligibility criteria for the winter just gone - keep in mind updated guidance has not yet been put out for the next round of Winter Fuel Payments.
For last winter, certain people still received the money if they lived outside the UK, providing they:
Lived in Switzerland or a European Economic Area (EEA) country
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
Those who receive the following benefits got their Winter Fuel Payment automatically last year:
State Pension
Pension Credit
Attendance Allowance
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Carers Allowance
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Income Support
income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
awards from the War Pensions Scheme
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
Incapacity Benefit
Industrial Death Benefit
You weren't eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment last year if you:
Were in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year
Needed permission to enter the UK and your granted leave states that you cannot claim public funds
Were in prison for the whole week from 19 to 25 September 2022
Lived in a care home for the whole time from 27 June to 25 September 2022, and got Pension Credit, Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
As we've mentioned above, not everyone will receive the full £300 from the Winter Fuel Payment.
For example, your payment might be smaller if you qualify and live in a care home.
Who normally needs to claim the Winter Fuel Payment
If you do not get any of the benefits listed above, you will likely need to claim for your Winter Fuel Payment later this year if either of the following apply:
You have never received the Winter Fuel Payment before
You have deferred your State Pension since your last Winter Fuel Payment
The Gov.uk website says you might also need to claim if you live abroad, even if you do get one of these benefits.
You only need to claim Winter Fuel Payment if you’ve not received it since you moved abroad.
