DWP reveals exact date you can claim the Winter Fuel Payment

Energy bill support available to millions of older people annually

A pensioner inspects her domestic energy use with a smart meter (Getty/iStock)

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced when those already looking ahead to the end of the year will be able to make a claim for its Winter Fuel Payment (WFP).

The payout is available to those born before 26 September 1956 and is worth between £250 and £600 – depending on an assessment of the recipients’ needs – and is designed to help with the cost of rising energy bills as the mercury plummets.

Those who claim benefits such as the State Pension, Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment or Carer’s Allowance will receive their WFP automatically. Others who do not may still be eligible for it but need to apply manually.

The DWP has confirmed claims will be able to be made from 18 September 2023.

Precisely how much money a recipient will receive will be determined based on their circumstances during a “qualifying week” in advance of the 2023/24 winter season.

The DWP has yet to state when that will be this year but, in 2022, it was 19-25 September, to give you a rough idea.

Most people eligible will receive the payment automatically as a result of claiming benefits and will typically be notified by letter in October or November once the assessment has been made, confirming exactly how much they can expect to receive.

The cash will then be paid out in November or December.

But if you do not get the payment automatically and believe you are eligible, you can claim from 18 September via a claim form which is yet to be shared, by phone or by post.

Those who believe they are entitled to make a claim can check on their eligibility via the government website, which also details everything you need to know about the WFP.

Should you wish to dispute a decision relating to your claim, you are entitled to challenge it by asking for mandatory reconsideration.

For more information, you can contact the DWP’s WFP Centre via its email enquiry form or by calling 0800 731 0160 from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday.