Millions of people over State Pension age had been hoping for a U-turn on the UK Government’s decision to change the eligibility rules for Winter Fuel Payments during the Autumn Budget. Despite fierce campaigning by charities, unions, organisations and Martin Lewis, 10 million pensioners will not receive up to £300 this winter to help with higher heating costs.
However, there are a series of one-off payments due before the New Year for households of all types and sizes – individuals, families, pensioners and disabled people. Some of the payments listed below are only available in Scotland and a few are means-tested, but it’s important to be aware that the Scottish Government received £41 million to boost the devolved equivalent of the Household Support Fund, so if you are in or out of work and struggling financially, contact your local council and explain your situation – find out more here.
Help for households this winter
There are six, separate one-off payments being issued to to families, disabled people or those over State Pension age before the end of this year. Most of these lump sums are designed to help with higher heating bills, but there’s also a ‘bonus’ for millions of benefit claimants and an extra payment for unpaid carers.
Winter Fuel Payment, £100-£300
The Scottish Government has also adopted the eligibility rule change for its new replacement benefit for Winter Fuel Payments – Pension Age Winter Heating Payment. However, DWP will issue payments to more than 125,000 Scots pensioners this winter before administration and delivery is transferred to Social Security Scotland for winter 2025/26. Scots pensioners will receive a letter this month.
Payments due: Most payments are made automatically in November or December, letters will be sent to all pensioners by the end of this month with details of the exact amount they will receive and whether someone is eligible for a payment.
The one-off payment is worth between £100 and £300, however, how much someone receives depends on their age and household circumstances. It’s important to be aware that the £300 will only be paid to those born before September 23, 1944.
People in a care home receive £100 and those aged between 66 and 79 receive £200.
In addition to being over 66 to get the payment, people must also have been in receipt of a means-tested benefit, such as Pension Credit. People over State Pension age in receipt of an income-related benefit during the qualifying week of September 16-22, 2024 will receive the payment automatically – the money is tax-free and will not affect other benefits.
However, DWP has confirmed that new claims made before December 21, which later turn out to be successful, will qualify for a backdated Winter Fuel Payment.
Full details on payments can be found here.
Child Winter Heating Payment – £251.50
Payments due: Social Security Scotland has confirmed that payments started landing in bank accounts in October and will continue this month. Letters are being sent out to eligible families.
The Child Winter Heating Payment is for disabled children and young people under the age of 19, in Scotland only.
The devolved payment is designed to help families with disabled youngsters with higher costs during the colder months. The £251.50 lump sum is automatically paid to families of children and young people up to the age of 19 who already get certain levels of qualifying disability benefits.
These include the highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment or Disability Living Allowance for Children. The lump sum is also paid to those receiving the enhanced rate of the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or the enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment (ADP).
To be eligible for the payment, individual’s need to have been in claim for one of the benefits mentioned above during the qualifying week, which was September 16-22, 2024.
Full details on payments can be found here.
Winter Heating Payment – £58.75
Payments due: Social Security Scotland has confirmed that payments will start from mid-December with the majority of eligible households receiving the payment before the end of February 2025. If you are eligible, you will receive a letter from Social Security Scotland before they make the payment.
This payment is only available to those on an income-related benefit living in Scotland and replaced the £25 Cold Weather Payment delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) two years ago. Unlike the DWP benefit, it is not dependent on a sustained period of cold weather in a specific location but is an annual, one-off payment made no matter the temperature.
Qualifying benefits include:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support for Mortgage Interest
The majority of people eligible for the Winter Heating Payment during the qualifying period, which is this week – November 4-10 – will receive the payment automatically, with no need to apply.
Full details on payments can be found here.
Warm Home Discount – £150 paid directly to energy supplier
Payment due: DWP administers this payment which is paid directly to energy suppliers and added as credit to a customer’s account. It is not a cash payment.
If you’re a credit customer the £150 will be added to your electricity account and if you’re on Pay As You Go or Prepayment, you’ll be sent a voucher that you can use to top-up your meter.
The Warm Home Discount Scheme is designed to help people on a low income and on certain income-related benefits such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit.
This year’s scheme is already open. To find out if your energy supplier is accepting new claims, visit their website.
Full details about the scheme and eligibility can be found here.
Carer’s Allowance Supplement – £288.60
Payment due: This will be paid automatically into bank accounts on Friday, December 6.
The payments are administered by Social Security Scotland and made separately from Carer’s Allowance. To qualify for the payment in December, people need to have been in receipt of either Carer’s Allowance from the DWP, or Carer Support Payment from Social Security Scotland, on October 7, 2024.
Full details about the scheme and eligibility can be found here.
DWP Christmas Bonus – £10
Payments due: Typically paid automatically in early December.
The bonus is a one-off, tax-free £10 payment made to people in receipt of State Pension or those claiming certain other benefits during the qualifying week – usually the first full week of December.
Nobody needs to apply for the extra £10 as it should automatically go into the account where you usually receive your State Pension or benefit payment. It is made as a separate payment, independent of your scheduled State Pension or benefit payment, so it may arrive on a different day.
Eligible benefits:
- Adult Disability Payment
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Carer Support Payment
- Child Disability Payment
- Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim)
- Disability Living Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
- Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
- Mobility Supplement
- Pension Credit – the guarantee element
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
- Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
- Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
- War Widow’s Pension
- Widowed Mother’s Allowance
- Widowed Parent’s Allowance
- Widow’s Pension
Find out more about the Christmas Bonus here.