DFC News update: One-off fuel support payment of £100 to pensioners no longer eligible for WFP (19 Nov 2024).

If you’ve reached the qualifying age you may get a (UK) Winter Fuel Payment to help pay for keeping warm in winter. The tax-free annual benefit is normally paid from November – most payments are made by Christmas.

Getting the Winter Fuel Payment will not affect any other benefits you may get. It is different from Cold Weather Payments which you may get for each week of very cold weather in your area.

You may be eligible if you or a partner claim any of the following:

• Pension Credit
• Income Support
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Child Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit

The NI Direct web page Winter Fuel Payment provides detailed information on the payment including:

• Deadline for claiming
• How to apply
• Getting paid

Cross-border issues

According to the Gov.uk website, if you do not live in the UK you are only eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment if you

• you were born before 23 September 1958
• you are getting a benefit paid by the UK, for example a State Pension
• you moved to an eligible country (e.g. Ireland) before 31 December 2020 and are therefore covered by the EU UK Withdrawal Agreement
• you have a genuine and sufficient link to the UK (e.g. this might include having lived or worked in the UK, and having family in the UK, or if you have moved from North to South and are in receipt of a UK pension or other payment)

The Gov.uk website also states you must also be getting a qualifying means-tested benefit from the country you live in that is equivalent to:

• Pension Credit
• Universal Credit
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Income Support
• Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit

Unlike the GOV.UK website, the relevant NI legislation also mentions entitlement for people within the scope of the UK/Ireland Convention on Social Security Coordination. Border People is currently seeking clarification on this as it would be particularly relevant to retired cross-border workers resident in Ireland and in receipt of a UK State Pension.

As a result:

• Please do not rule out cross-border entitlement without first seeking independent guidance – Advice orgs
• Anyone with existing entitlement who has been refused this year or
• Anyone who has made an application that was rejected should immediately seek support to appeal a negative decision
• Please also check if you have entitlement under the Irish Fuel Allowance scheme, which is a means-tested benefit for Irish residents. For such claims any UK pension and Winter Fuel Payment would be treated as income.

Further information

The following links provide some further information, however please remember that NI Direct and Gov.UK do not currently mention entitlement under NI Legislation that references the Ireland UK Social Security Convention.

• NI Direct – Making a claim for Winter Fuel Payment
• Gov.uk – Winter Fuel Payment if you live abroad
• ADM Chapter L5: Winter Fuel Payments – This guidance applies from 16.09.24 in respect of WFP claims from Winter 2024 onwards
• The Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024
• Convention on Social Security between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Ireland, Dublin, 1 February 2019

Page last checked: 1st October 2024

This webpage is for general information purposes only and while we endeavour to keep it up-to-date, errors may occur. It is very important that you check with the relevant body to ensure the information is current and is applicable to your situation.

If you would like to suggest amendments or highlight new information that could be useful to others please don’t hesitate to get in touch.