You may get a Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) if the following apply:
This varies according to personal circumstances shown in the table:
| Circumstances | Aged 60 to 79 on or before 24 September 2006 | Aged 80 or over on or before 24 September 2006 |
|---|---|---|
| You live alone or are the only person in the household who qualifies | £200 | £300 |
| You get Pension Credit or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance | £200 | £300 |
| You live with another qualifying individual | £100 |
£200 if you're the only person in the household who's aged 80 or over
£150 if you and at least one other person are aged 80 or over |
| If your partner or civil partner gets Pension Credit or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance for you both | You don't qualify for Winter Fuel Payment |
You don’t qualify for Winter Fuel Payment |
| You live in a care home and don’t get Pension Credit or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance | £100 | £150 |
| You live in a care home and get Pension credit or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance | You don't qualify for Winter Fuel Payment | You don't qualify for Winter fuel payment |
If you're getting State Pension or another benefit (apart from Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit or Child Benefit) by Direct Payment, Winter Fuel Payment will be made with one of these payments.
If you're not getting a State Pension or another benefit (apart from Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit or Child Benefit) Winter Fuel Payment will be paid into your bank, building society, National Savings or other account that accepts Direct Payment or by cheque to your home address.
If you claim on or before 22 September 2006 you should get your payment during November or December.
If you apply after this date, you may not get payment until after Christmas.
The Winter Fuel Payment won't affect your other benefits and you won't have to pay Income Tax on it.
If you're aged 60 or over by 24 September 2006 and getting a State Pension or other benefit (not including Housing Benefit, Council Tax benefit or Child Benefit) there’s no need to apply - Winter Fuel Payment should be paid to you automatically.
If you think you qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment but aren't getting a State Pension or benefits (or only receive Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit or Child Benefit) - you'll need to claim.
You can get a claim form by calling the Winter Fuel Payment helpline 08459 151 515, textphone 0845 601 5613. Lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm.
Or you can download a claim form for past winters from The Pension Service website to print and complete.
The claim form for winter 2006/07 will be available from mid August 2006.
You should claim on or before 22 September 2006 to get your payment by Christmas. The final application deadline to claim for the 2006/07 payment is 30 March 2007.
You only need to claim once. After this you should automatically get Winter Fuel Payment each year.
It’s important you tell the office that deals with your payments if:
This will ensure you continue to get the right amount of payments.
If you're getting Pension Credit or another income-related benefit, you could be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment to help with your heating costs during cold weather in your area.
