Winter Fuel Payment can boost income by hundreds - how state pension claim affects payment

The temperature is dropping and the weather is getting harsher, leaving many turning to the central heating. Keeping warm is essential, however that’s not to say that it won’t prove to be costly.

As the amount varies depending on a person’s own situation, they will receive a letter which tells them how much they will get – as well as an estimated payment date.

Most payments are then made automatically between November and December.

However, it’s important to be aware that some people will need to claim this payment.

While eligible people will usually get it paid automatically, some won’t.

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This applies to people who have not had the payment before, when any of the following applies:

• They do not get benefits or a state pension
• They only get Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction or Child Benefit
• They get benefits or a state pension but live in Switzerland or a European Economic Area (EEA) country.

Should a person have deferred their state pension, they will need to claim the Winter Fuel Payment, even if they’ve had it before.

Who is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment?

To qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment, a person must be born on or before October 5, 1954 and have lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of September 21 to 27, 2020 – which is known as the “qualifying week”.

That said, those who didn’t live in the UK during this qualifying week, may still be able to get the payment.

This is if they live in Switzerland or an EEA country, and they have a “genuine and sufficient link to the UK”.

GOV.UK states that this can include having lived or worked in the UK, and having family who live in the UK.

Those who live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain, however, cannot get the payment.

There may also be some circumstances which mean a person wouldn’t qualify for the payment.