DWP paying state pensioners £300 Winter Fuel Payment even if they don't claim Pension Credit

The £300 Winter Fuel Allowance will still be paid to people who aren't eligible for the benefit.

Thousands of people can get the £300 Winter Fuel Payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) even if they do not get Pension Credit. The £300 Winter Fuel Allowance will still be paid to people who aren't eligible for the benefit.

Older expats can continue to receive the energy bill benefit due to a catch included as part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. Earlier this year, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that the Winter Fuel Allowance would be means-tested and no longer made universal.

People overseas don't receive the payment automatically and need to apply for it by completing a form and using the DWP's phone service from October 28, with postal applications opening on Monday. The deadline for them to claim for this winter season is 31 March 2025.

READ MORE Martin Lewis issues 'must do' task for energy customers

These recipients don't need to be claiming Pension Credit to receive their Winter Fuel Payments. This is because Pension Credit can't be claimed by those living abroad permanently. Instead, there are other eligibility requirements they must meet such as being over the UK state pension age, receiving a benefit from the UK like state pension and getting a benefit from the country they reside in equivalent to Pension Credit, Universal Credit or any of the legacy benefits except for Housing Benefit.

Eligible countries include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland.

During PMQs, Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended the new Labour Government's decision to scrap the Winter Fuel Payment for millions of Britons. He claimed the move was a necessary one to help "stabilise the economy" in an attempt to fill the £22billion "black hole" in the public finances. These comments come shortly after the revelation that the state pension is expected to rise by £400 next year.