DWP handing out one-off payments to State Pensioners, families and disabled people before Christmas

Millions of people who are over the age to claim State Pension had been hoping for the UK Government to U-turn on its decision to change eligibility rules for Winter Fuel Payments, when the Budget was announced on October 30. Ten million pensioners will not receive up to £300 this winter despite fierce campaigning by charities, unions, organisations and Martin Lewis.

The money would have helped with higher heating costs. But before the end of the year, a series of one-off payments are due for households of all types and sizes, reports DailyRecord.

There are a number of separate, one-off payments due to start going out to families, disabled people or those over State Pension age before the end of this year.

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Most of these lump sums are designed to help with rising heating bills. But there’s also a ‘bonus’ for millions of people claiming benefits and an extra payment for unpaid carers.

Warm Home Discount - £150 paid directly to energy supplier

Payment due:DWP administers this payment which is paid directly to energy suppliers and added as credit to a customer’s account. It is not a cash payment. If you’re a credit customer the £150 will be added to your electricity account and if you’re on Pay As You Go or Prepayment, you’ll be sent a voucher that you can use to top-up your meter.

The Warm Home Discount Scheme is designed to help people on a low income and on certain income-related benefits such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit. This year’s scheme is already open. To find out if your energy supplier is accepting new claims, visit their website.

Full details about the scheme and eligibility can be found here.

DWP Christmas Bonus - £10

Payments due: Typically paid automatically in early December. The bonus is a one-off, tax-free £10 payment made to people in receipt of State Pension or those claiming certain other benefits during the qualifying week - usually the first full week of December.

Nobody needs to apply for the extra £10 as it should automatically go into the account where you usually receive your State Pension or benefit payment. It is made as a separate payment, independent of your scheduled State Pension or benefit payment, so it may arrive on a different day.

Eligible benefits:

• Adult Disability Payment
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Carer’s Allowance
• Carer Support Payment
• Child Disability Payment
• Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
• Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim)
• Disability Living Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
• Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
• Mobility Supplement
• Pension Credit - the guarantee element
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
• Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
• Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
• War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
• War Widow’s Pension
• Widowed Mother’s Allowance
• Widowed Parent’s Allowance
• Widow’s Pension

Find out more about the Christmas Bonus here.