25 October 2023 , 12:06
1135
0
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has a few schemes in place to help vulnerable groups with their energy costs this winter.
The cost of living is really taking its toll on Brits across the country and with energy bills set to remain high over the winter many groups look set to struggle over the coming few months.
The DWP does however have schemes in place to aid vulnerable groups over the winter months with these schemes providing one-off - or potentially reoccurring - payments to help with the costs.
The majority of them are automatic - so you should receive the money without having to do anything if you are eligible. However, some you may need to claim. The help provided by the schemes mentioned in this article totals £1,065.75. However, it should be noted that you may not be eligible to claim them all.
Here, we highlight the DWP schemes set provide support this year.
Shop prices 'are yet to peak and will remain high' as inflation hits new heights
Winter Fuel Payment - £300
The Winter Fuel Payment is worth up to £300, depending on your circumstances. This year, you can get a Winter Fuel Payment if you were born before September 25, 1957. In most cases, you also need to have lived in the UK for at least one day in the qualifying week - which this year was 18 to 24 September.
The money is paid over November or December and the DWP has started to send letters out to those who qualify for the support this year. This letter will tell them how much they will get and provide them with an estimated pay date.
Some households will need to actively claim the money and they can usually do this until the end of March. You can check out eligibility criteria and how much you could likely receive in our article on the Winter Fuel Payment here.
Pensioner cost of living payment - £300
Those who are eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment will also automatically receive the pensioner cost of living payment, worth £300. This means some households will get up to £600 this winter.
This has been awarded for this year due to rising costs and higher energy bills.
Warm Home Discount - £150
You could get £150 off your electricity bill for winter 2023/24 under this Government's Warm Home Discount scheme. The £150 is not a cash payment so it will not be paid into your bank account, instead it is applied to your energy account by your supplier. If you are on a prepay meter, then you will usually be sent a £150 top-up voucher. If you have a smart prepayment meter - the cash will be put onto it by your supplier.
You will be eligible for the payment if your supplier is signed up to the scheme and you can check the full list of suppliers taking part on the GOV.UK website here. To get the money you will also need to fall into one of two core groups in England and Wales during the qualifying date which this year is August 13. These groups are:
- Core group 1. If you get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
- Core group 2. If you’re on a low income, and getting certain means-tested benefit
Cold Weather Payment - £25
The Cold Weather payment scheme gives eligible people a £25 payment every time temperatures drop below zero degrees in their area across seven days. The scheme opens in November and continues to run until March 31 of next year.
If you're eligible, the money will be paid to you automatically within 14 working days, and you can receive multiple Cold Weather Payments if there are several spells of freezing weather. To be eligible for the Cold Weather Payment you must claim one of the following benefits:
- Pension Credit
- Income Support (if you have any of the following: disability or pensioner premium, a child who is disabled, Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element or a child under five living with you)
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (if you have any of the following: disability or pensioner premium, a child who is disabled, Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element or a child under five living with you)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (if you have any of the following: severe or enhanced disability premium, a pensioner premium, a child who is disabled, Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element or a child under five living with you)
- Universal Credit (if you are not employed or self-employed, and you have a health condition or disability and have limited capability for work, or you have a child under five living with you)
- Support for Mortgage Interest (if you have any of the following: severe or enhanced disability premium, a pensioner premium, a child who is disabled, Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element or a child under five living with you)
You can also check if you're due a payment by searching your postcode in the Government's online checker tool here.
8 money changes coming in February including Universal Credit and passport fees
Winter Heating Payment - £55.05
The Winter Heating Payment is only available to people living in Scotland and is paid to those on low-income benefits who might have extra heating needs. The DWP doesn't actually pay this support, its Scottish equivalent Social Security Scotland does.
The payment replaced the DWP's Cold Weather Payment and unlike it, the Winter Heating Payment does not depend on how cold the temperature gets. Instead, it is a yearly payment of £55.05 paid automatically. Last year the payment was £50 however it was increased by 10.1% for this year.
To be eligible for Winter Heating Payment, people must be claiming one of the following benefits during the qualifying week - which this year is November 6 to 12:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income Related Employment Support Allowance
- Support for Mortgage Interest
Social Security Scotland says the payment will not impact any other benefits you could be claiming.
Child Winter Heating Payment - £235.70
The Child Winter Heating Payment is another Scottish Government payment - having been introduced in 2020 - and only those living in Scotland are able to get it.
It’s a payment to help disabled children and young people and their families with increased heating costs over winter. The money is paid once a year and this year's payments will start in November.
You can get the money if you are under 19 years old and get one of the following "qualifying benefits":
- The highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment
- The highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance for children
- The enhanced daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- The enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment
To be eligible for the money, you must have been claiming the qualifying benefits at least on day of from September 18 to 24 - this includes if a qualifying benefit is backdated to this period. If there is more than one person in the household who qualifies then each one will get the payment.
Eligible children and young people living in Scotland do not need to apply as they’ll get their payment automatically. Social Security Scotland will write to you before you are paid and the money will go into the account where the qualifying benefit is paid.