Sunday is closing date for Winter Fuel Benefit claims
*Please note the information in this article may be out of date
If you are not in receipt of the Winter Fuel Benefit, but think you qualify, you need to get your claim in by Sunday March 31st. Claims need to be made by post so time is nearly up.
Tue, 26 Mar 2013If you are not in receipt of the Winter Fuel Benefit, but think you qualify, you need to get your claim in by Sunday March 31st. Claims need to be made by post so time is nearly up. Once you have made your claim, payment is automatic paid into your bank account so you do not need to re-apply.
In order to qualify you need to have been born before the 5th July 1951. You also need to be resident in the U.K. during Spring/Summer, ie. week 17 up to Sept 23rd, during 2012.
You may still be able to get the payment if you live in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland.
Below are the different rates of what you will receive if you qualify.
| Circumstance | Born on or before 5 July 1951 | Aged 80 or over in the qualifying week |
|---|---|---|
| You qualify and live alone (or none of the people you live with qualify) | £200 | £300 |
| You qualify and get one of the benefits listed** | £200 | £300 |
| You live with someone under 80 who also qualifies | £100 | £200 |
| You live with someone 80 or over who also qualifies | £100 | £150 |
| You qualify and live with your partner or civil partner and they get one of the benefits listed** | Nil*** | Nil*** |
| You qualify but live in a care home and don’t get one of the benefits listed** | £100 | £150 |
** Benefits: Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
*** Your partner getting the benefit will get the Winter Fuel Payment on your behalf
You can download claims forms here.
It is also worth noting that Winter Fuel Benefit for the years 1997 to 1998 and 1999 to 2000, can still be claimed, if you had qualified but missed out.