DWP begins to send free £200 or £300 to state pensioners born in these years

The Department for Work and Pensions is gearing up to issue £300 or £200 payments to state pensioners born in these years. The DWP will be paying Pension Credit claimants or other eligible pensioners a Winter Fuel Allowance this year.

The payment should be made automatically between November and December. However, the DWP website indicates that payments could take until March to process, so pensioners needn't worry about being overlooked until then.

If you live alone, you'll get £200 if you were born between 23 September 1944 and 22 September 1958 or £300 if you were born before 23 September 1944. If you live with a partner and have a joint benefit claim, you'll get £200 if both of you were born between 23 September 1944 and 22 September 1958 or £300 if one or both of you were born before 23 September 1944.

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If you live in a care home and are eligible, you'll get £200 if you were born between 23 September 1944 and 22 September 1958 or £300 if you were born before 23 September 1944. A Winter Fuel Payment will be paid directly into your bank or building society account or through the Payment Exception Service if you are unable to open or manage one of these or a similar account.

The money is normally paid from November and most payments are made by Christmas. If the payment has not been paid into your account by 29 January 2025, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. A Winter Fuel Payment does not count as income when working out your entitlement to other benefits.

You will be eligible if you were born before 23 September 1958 for winter 2024 to 2025 (the date changes every year), and you get one of the following benefits: Pension Credit, Income Support, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or Universal Credit.