13 September 2023 , 10:42
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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will be giving out a range of payments totalling up to £1,100 over the winter months this year.
The payments will be given to certain groups to help with the higher costs associated with colder weather and higher energy bills. Some of them are awarded every year, while some of them are newer or one-off payments.
The majority of them are automatic, however, some you may need to claim. Here, we highlight all the payments set for the coming few months, who is eligible, how you can get them, and when they are expected to hit bank accounts.
Second cost of living payment - £300
The second installment of three cost of living payments for 2023-24 will be coming this autumn. The money is paid to people claiming certain DWP or HMRC benefits:
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
The exact date of the payment has not yet been announced at the time of writing. However, if the payment window is similar to last year's payment, then it will likely be paid in November. Last year, a cost of living payment date was announced in October and the money was sent between November 8 and 23. Again, the Government has not confirmed when the qualifying period will be for the next cost of living payment. The qualifying period for last year's autumn payment was August 26 to September 25.
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Winter Fuel Payment- £100 to £300
You can get a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2023/24 if you were born before September 24, 1957. You also need to have lived in the UK for at least one day in the qualifying week.
The qualifying week for this winter is 18 to 24 September 2023. You’ll get a letter telling you how much you will get and an estimated payment date. The payment is worth up to £300, depending on your circumstances and living arrangements - this means some households will get £600 of extra help.
The money is normally paid in November or December, according to the GOV.UK website and that will likely be the case again this year. 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
Pensioner households who claim the Winter Fuel Payment will also get an extra £300 this winter. This is on top of the Winter Fuel Payment. The money will be sent automatically, alongside the Winter Fuel Payment.
Cold Weather Payment - £25
The Cold Weather payment scheme opens in November and continues to run until March 31 of next year. If you're eligible, you will get £25 for each seven-day period when temperatures drop below zero degrees in your area. To get this money you must be claiming one of six types of benefits, including:
- 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)
The payment should be made automatically within 14 working days, and you can receive multiple Cold Weather Payments if there are several spells of freezing weather. You can check if you're due a payment by searching you postcode in the Government's online checker tool. Cold Weather Payments are not available in Scotland any more, instead, you might be able to claim an annual £50 Winter Heating Payment.
Warm Home Discount - £150
You could get £150 off your electricity bill for winter 2023/24 under this Government 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 top-up voucher.
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. Top get the cash you will also need to fall into one of two core groups in England and Wales during the qualifying date - this date has not yet been confirmed for this year. 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
In Scotland, these groups are called the "Core Group" and the "Broader Group".
DWP £10 bonus
This payment is available to everyone who is claiming a qualifying DWP benefit and it is given every single year. The one off £10 payment is tax free and does not affect any other benefits you may be claiming. The money is paid in December - usually the first week - before Christmas, a date for this year's payment has yet to be announced.
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To be eligible for a Christmas Bonus, you must be present or "ordinarily resident" in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during the qualifying week. You also do not need to claim it, you will be paid the cash automatically. If you're part of a married couple, in a civil partnership or living together as if you are and you both get one of the qualifying benefits, you'll each get a Christmas Bonus payment. You can find a full list of qualifying benefits on the Government website here.