The UK government announced cuts to Winter Fuel payments on 29 July 2024, which led to many pensioners without any payments this winter. Recently, Martin Lewis, a financial journalist, has suggested some loopholes for pensioners to receive the winter fuel benefit.
Pensioners Winter Fuel Payment Loophole
A few months back, the Labour government cut some changes to Winter fuel payment eligibility to reduce government spending and ensure the benefits effectively support low-income pensioners. According to the changes, the winter fuel benefit will be now available for pensioners with Pension credits or receiving means-tested benefits only.
However, due to the new rules around 800,000 eligible pensioners were left out of this support leading to distress among the pensioners. The new eligibility rules for the winter fuel payment have come into force from 16 Sep 2024.
Recently, Martin Lewis’s loopholes for winter fuel payment have ignited hope among pensioners as he suggests some ways that make pensioners eligible for pension credit and receive the $300 worth of winter fuel payment even when their income is above the limit.
What are the loopholes for the Winter Fuel Payment?
The pensioners can use the following ways to receive the winter fuel payment by becoming eligible for the pension credit:
- According to Martin Lewis’s guidance, pensioners with a disability or serious illnesses can qualify for the benefit even with higher income. For instance, he suggested the attendance allowance for older people who need assistance in completing their day-to-day activities. The AA makes the income limit to quality for the pension credit hiked by £82 per week.
- The financial guru also suggests that pensioners are not considered out of the winter fuel payment because of their investments and savings. He suggested any investment or savings above £ 1000 will be counted in the assessment below that is not under the assessment. The DWP counts the investment under the limit with £500 over the threshold as £1 per week.
- Pensioners can be eligible for pension credit subject to their high housing costs. The pensioners can use the high housing costs ( rent, service charge, etc.) to bag the winter fuel payment.
What’s the current eligibility to receive the Winter fuel payments?
The government has introduced the following eligibility rules for the 2024 Winter Fuel payments for pensioners of England and Wales:
- You have state pension age and you were born before 23 Sep 1958.
- You are living in England and Wales and get any of the following means-tested benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Income Related ESA
- Pension Credit
- Income-based JSA
- Child tax credit
- Income Support
- Working tax credit
- You just got the mean-tested benefit during the qualifying week (16 to 22 September 2024).
The government has initiated the pension credit awareness drive for pensioners to let them know about the pension credit and apply for it to receive the winter fuel payment and backdated payment before the deadline for 2024/25, 21 Dec 2024.
How to apply for the Pension credit to receive the winter fuel payment?
The UK government has started the Pension Credit Awareness drive and allowed eligible pensioners to apply for the Pension Credit and ensure their £300 worth Winter fuel payment. As the housing cost element in the Pension credit, the pensioners should immediately follow up on the loopholes and claim the pension credit.
Before you apply for the Pension credit you must prepare the following information that you will need during the application:
- National Insurance Number
- Income, savings, and investment details
- Income, savings, and investment details from the date you want to backdate your application.
- Bank account details
You can apply for the Pension credit through the following ways:
- Online: You can apply for the Pension Credit on the official UK government service website when you have applied for your State pension and complete your application process with relevant documents.
- By Call: You can call the Pension Credit helpline between business days at 8 AM to 6 PM and ask for assistance to claim the Pension credit. Here’s the Pension Credit claim helpline:
- Contact no.: 0800 99 1234
- Textphone: 0800 169 0133
- Relay UK: First at 18001 and then at 0800 99 1234
After the application, the DWP will review your application and notify you about the approval or disapproval of your application with valid reasons.
The cuts in winter fuel payments have led to distress among the pensioners as in the coming Winter energy prices can soar high in the UK. However, Martin Lewis has suggested some of the loopholes that many pensioners must have missed amidst the Winter fuel payment cuts announcement, such as housing costs, disability, or serious illness that can make pensioners qualify for the pension credit even with the high income.
So, we suggest the pensioners check their eligibility for the pension credit and claim the pension credit timely to unlock the winter fuel payment and other mean-tested benefits.