Millions of people over State Pension age can expect to receive one-off payments this month worth up to £900 which should help boost incomes before the colder weather kicks in. Both payments will be made automatically and most people will not need to apply for either of them, but there is an opportunity for thousands of pensioners on a low income to claim one of them - as long as they do it before December 10, 2023.
Pension Credit is a retrospective benefit that can be claimed up to three months in arrears, this means a claim made before December 10 will fall within the qualifying period of August 18 - September 17 and be eligible for the £300 and £299 one-off payments. People who are eligible for the annual payment should receive a letter from the DWP telling them how much to expect. This year’s payment will include the pensioner cost of living payment, which is worth either £150 or £300 and means eligible households could receive between £250 and £600 to offset higher energy usage during the colder months.
Sign up to our Record Money newsletter and get the top stories sent to your inbox daily from Monday to Friday, including a special cost of living edition on a Thursday - sign up here.It’s important to note that to be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, you must have been born before September 25, 1957 and lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of 18 to 24 September 2023 - known as the ‘qualifying week’.