Winter Fuel Payment explained – who is entitled?

The Winter Fuel Payment, designed to help older people during cold weather in the UK, has been restricted in radical plans by Chancellor Rachel Reeves to plug a £22 billion spending gap.

The benefit was previously available to almost everyone in the UK born before 25 September 1957, and will now be available only to the "poorest pensioners", said The Big Issue, "to help them heat their homes over the coldest months".

Reeves attributed the decision to a so-called "black hole" in spending, but said it was a choice she did not want to make. The chancellor also warned "more difficult decisions are coming", after accusing the previous Tory government of "covering up" the truth about the state of the UK economy.

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The decision on the Winter Fuel Payment has already been criticised by a number of charities, which have argued pensioners "could face 'heat or eat' dilemmas this winter" as a result of losing out, said The Guardian. 

What is a Winter Fuel Payment? 

The Winter Fuel Payment is a one-off benefit offered by the government to help older people with their heating bills when temperatures drop.

The payment is worth between £100 and £300, and "varies depending on factors such as when you were born and which benefits you claim", said This is Money. 

Currently, anyone above state pension age will qualify. But the rule amendment by the new government means this will soon change. 

Under the new amendment, only those on means-tested benefits, including Pension Credit, will now be eligible. 

When do the Winter Fuel Payment eligibility rules change?

If you're eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment you should receive "a letter in October or November saying how much you'll get", said the government website. Subsequently, individuals can expect automatic payment in November or December.

It will be a few months before the new rule comes into effect. The official government website "has not yet been updated" to reflect the change, said the Mirror. The information should change "before November when the next batch of payments are normally sent out".

However, for those who are still eligible "how much you'll receive in Winter Fuel Payments won't be changing", the newspaper added. The benefit will still be worth up to £300 "depending on your circumstances".

What is the impact of the decision across the UK? 

The Scottish government has said it is "deeply disappointing" that the Labour government allegedly did not consult Holyrood on its decision, said The National. However, the devolved government will now introduce the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment, which is "expected to be in place by this winter".

Elsewhere, Wales' Older People's Commissioner has "urged the Chancellor to reconsider" her plans, said Nation.Cymru, to "avoid driving more older people in Wales into poverty".

The payment continues to be a "devolved matter in Scotland and Northern Ireland".

What other support is available? 

Other support is in place to help those on a limited income access help with energy bills during periods of cold weather. Perhaps the most helpful is the cold weather payment.

The cold weather payment is "not age-related", said the BBC, but serves as a "top-up to help with fuel bills during times of exceptionally cold weather". A £25 payment is issued for a "seven-day period". 

This payment is worked out geographically. The average temperature in an area needs to be "zero degrees Celsius – or less – for seven days in a row, or be forecast to be below freezing for seven consecutive days", the broadcaster added. It is based on the weather station nearest to an individual's postcode. 

Those who qualify include individuals on Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, and Universal Credit – but with some exceptions for the latter. 

With the new restrictions on Winter Fuel Payment coming into play, it is "more important than ever" to check your entitlement to support, said MoneySavingExpert.

Only those in receipt of certain benefits can now apply, but "over 800,000 people who are eligible for Pension Credit don't currently get it". As this benefit is often a gateway to other forms of support, it is worth checking your entitlement. This can be done via the government's official Pension Credit calculator.