The government has changed the rules on who will receive Winter Fuel Payments, meaning millions of those who would usually get help with heating now won’t.
So, why were payments dropped and who is affected?
FactCheck takes a look.
What is the Winter Fuel Payment and who is losing out?
The Winter Fuel Payment was introduced in 1997 to help older people pay for their heating bills over the colder months.
Up until now, it has given all pensioners born before 23 September 1958 – regardless of income – up to £300 each year.
But chancellor Rachel Reeves announced last month that the government would be limiting the number of people who will get the yearly Winter Fuel Payment.
From September onwards, only those receiving Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits will be eligible for the payment in England and Wales.
She said the cuts were necessary to plug the government’s multi-billion pound “black hole” that it has between spending commitments and the cash that’s available to fund them.
Around 1.3 million households in England and Wales will continue to receive Winter Fuel Payments, but about 10 million people will lose the allowance. The figure has been calculated by subtracting the number of people who get Pension Credit (1.4m) from the latest number of people who were in receipt of the Winter Fuel Payment (11.3m).
A government spokesperson told FactCheck that “eligible pensioners will also be able to benefit from the £150 Warm Home Discount scheme from October to help with their energy bills over winter.”
“We are urging pensioners to come forward and check their eligibility for Pension Credit to ensure as many people in need as possible have access to this support,” they added.
Who is eligible for Pension Credit?
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has urged pensioners to check if they’re entitled to Pension Credit this winter, as an estimated 800,000 pensioners are not claiming it even though they’re eligible.
People on the State Pension who are over the age of 66 and on a low income can receive money to help with their living costs in the form of Pension Credit.
The government has a Pension Credit awareness drive which aims to identify households not claiming the benefit and encourage people to apply by 21 December. This is the last date for making a backdated claim for Pension Credit in order to receive the Winter Fuel Payment.
What other support is available?
There’s a number of other payments you may be eligible for over the winter. The Cold Weather Payment applies if you get certain benefits and the temperature drops to zero degrees Celsius or below for seven days in a row. The Warm Home Discount provides a £150 discount on your bills if you get Pension Credit or live in a low-income household.
(Image credit: Andy Rain/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)
