State pensioners will lose £300 Winter Fuel Payment unless they act by Sunday

September 22 marks the end of the qualifying week for the 2024 Winter Fuel Payment, which kicked off on September 16.

State pensioners have been told they will LOSE their £300 Winter Fuel Payment unless they act by Sunday. September 22 marks the end of the qualifying week for the 2024 Winter Fuel Payment, which kicked off on September 16.

You can get a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2024 to 2025 if you were born before 23 September 1958. You must also live in Northern Ireland and get one of the following: Pension Credit or Income Support or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

You will also qualify if you are in receipt of Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit or Universal Credit. If you did not live in Northern Ireland for at least one day during the qualifying week (16 to 22 September 2024 for winter 2024 to 2025), you might still get the payment if you moved to an eligible country before 1 January 2021, you were born before 23 September 1958 or you have a genuine and adequate link to the UK - this can include having lived or worked in the UK, and having family in the UK.

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You will not be eligible if you have been in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year, need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave states that you cannot claim public funds and were in prison for the whole of the week of 16 to 22 September 2024.

You can get Winter Fuel Payment if you live in a care home in Northern Ireland and you meet the eligibility conditions, and you lived in a care home for less than 13 weeks including the week of 16 to 22 September 2024.

You may still be able to get a Cold Weather Payment, even if you do not qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment. How much you get depends on your circumstances during the qualifying week. The qualifying week for winter 2024 to 2025 is 16 to 22 24 September 2024.

Winter Fuel Payment is tax free and does not affect your other benefits. You’ll get either £200 if you were born between 23 September 1944 and 22 September 1958 or £300 if you were born before 23 September 1944.