The government has announced that the Winter Fuel Payment, worth up to £300 a year, is being scrapped for millions of pensioners this Winter.
What is the Winter Fuel Payment?
It’s a one off tax free payment, worth up to £300, which has been paid to people of state pension age or older, to help with heating bills. Usually paid around November or December, it’s paid direct to your bank account regardless of your income.
What’s changing?
Around ten million pensioners will lose their Winter Fuel Payment this Winter as the government has changed the rules on who gets it.
You will now only be entitled to receive a Winter Fuel Payment this year, if you get Pension Credit, or other means tested benefits, such as Universal Credit or Income Support.
Why it’s worth checking if you can claim Pension Credit
If you are one of the millions of pensioners who stand to lose your Winter Fuel Payment this year, it’s worth checking to see if you could claim Pension Credit. Reason being, if you get Pension Credit, it automatically entitles you to get the Winter Fuel Payment too.
And there’s around 880,000 people who could be eligible for Pension Credit, who don’t claim it, which means there’s a massive pot of cash lying around. Pension Credit is worth an average of £4,000 a year, which could be a real boost to your retirement income. Plus it unlocks the door to other benefits and discounts too.
So while there’s no guarantee you can claim Pension Credit, it’s definitely worth checking out your entitlement if you’re state pension age, (or about to be), and on a low income.
You can use a free benefits calculator or check the government website.