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Changes to the Winter Fuel Payment

Published on 16 December 2024 03:38 PM

Check your entitlement to Pension Credit.

Pension Credit and Winter Fuel Payments

The deadline to submit your Pension Credit claim in order to qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment this winter is Saturday 21st December.

As you may be aware, there is a lot of focus in the media encouraging people to apply for Pension Credit to be eligible for the Winter Fuel payments.

To be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment the qualifying week you must be entitled to a means tested benefit is between Monday 16th September – Monday 24th September 2024.

We are encouraging clients who have access to a computer, laptop or smart device to check their eligibility and/or apply for Pension Credit online.  Our Information & Advice team has very limited capacity to assist with the vast number of enquiries we are currently receiving.

To check your eligibility, please go to the pension credit eligibility calculator (it takes about 3 minutes) - Pension Credit calculator 

The easiest way to apply for Pension Credit is to complete the online form (it takes about 15 minutes) Pension Credit: How to claim

Pension Credit explainer (82 KB)

Alternatively, please call the Department for Work and Pensions Pension Credit claim line on 0800 99 1234 or Age UK Northamptonshire's Information & Advice Team between 9am – 12pm on either a Wednesday or Thursday on 01604 611207.

The deadline to submit your Pension Credit claim in order to qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment this winter is Saturday 21st December.

If you have a partner

You must include your partner on your application.

You’ll be eligible if either:

  • you and your partner have both reached State Pension age (if one partner is under state pension age – you cannot claim)

A partner is either:

  • your husband, wife or civil partner - if you live with them
  • someone you live with as a couple, without being married or in a civil partnership

Your income

When you apply for Pension Credit your income is calculated. If you have a partner, your income is calculated together.

Pension Credit tops up:

  • your weekly income to £218.15 if you’re single
  • your joint weekly income to £332.95 if you have a partner

If your income is higher, you might still be eligible for Pension Credit if you have a disability, you care for someone, you have savings or you have housing costs.

What counts as income?

Your income includes:

  • State Pension
  • other pensions
  • earnings from employment and self-employment
  • most social security benefits, for example Carer’s Allowance

What does not count as income

Not all benefits are counted as income. For example, the following are not counted:

  • Adult Disability Payment
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Christmas Bonus
  • Child Benefit
  • Disability Living Allowance
  • Personal Independence Payment
  • social fund payments like Winter Fuel Allowance
  • Housing Benefit
  • Council Tax Reduction

Your savings and investments

If you have £10,000 or less in savings and investments this will not affect your Pension Credit.

If you have more than £10,000, every £500 over £10,000 counts as £1 income a week. For example, if you have £11,000 in savings, this counts as £2 income a week.

Find out about Pension Credit.

It's important to check whether you qualify for Pension Credit

The Winter Fuel Payment was awarded to people who had reached State Pension age in the qualifying week (16th – 22nd September 2024 for winter 2024/25).  Now it will be restricted to pension-age people on certain means-tested benefits in that qualifying week.

The qualifying means-tested benefits are:
• Pension Credit - to see if you qualify for Pension Credit please see Age UK’s Guidance Notes (1 MB)

Use Age UK's online Benefit Calculator

You can hear Lorraine Booty, Information & Advice Team Leader, being interviewed about Age UK Northamptonshire's concerns about the changes by Annabel Amos of BBC Radio Northampton on Tuesday 17th September.  The segment starts at 2:12:18

Please contact Citizens Advice if you need support for the following means tested benefits:
• Universal Credit
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.

The Winter Fuel Payment will be made to the main recipient of the benefit.

To qualify for winter 2024/25 there must be at least one person in the household, in receipt of a qualifying means tested benefit and born on or before 22nd September 1958.

The payment will be:

  •  £200 where at least one qualifying person in the household is between State Pension age and 79 years old
  • £300 where at least one qualifying person in the household is aged 80 or over.

The Winter Fuel Payment helpline number is 0800 731 0160.

You will also be eligible for the Warms Homes Discount £150 discount.

Our Information & Advice Team is very busy at the moment, so we thank you for your patience and understanding.