DWP paying five bonus payments on top of benefits worth £1,225 this winter

Five payments from the DWP are set to land in bank accounts as we head deeper into autumn and winter.

Five payments from the Department for Work and Pensions which are BONUS additions to benefits will be paid before Christmas. Five payments from the DWP are set to land in bank accounts as we head deeper into autumn and winter.

The five payments are worth up to £1225. The payments from the DWP, which is now operating under the Labour Party government, comes at a time where energy bills are rising, cold weather is biting, and the Cost of Living crisis continues to hit hard.

The payments are paid on top of benefits - and eligibility varies. But people, especially pensioners who've lost out on the £300 Winter Fuel Payment and Allowance after the criteria shake up, have been urged to check whether they're due.

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The warnings come as bills rise for many, with the new Ofgem price cap taking hold - taking bills to an eye watering £1771. Thankfully, there are ways to offset the cost and mitigate that cost by acting and getting the cash you're owed...

Warm Home Discount - £150

The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one-off discount on your electricity bill worth £150. The money is not paid directly to you but is taken off of your energy bills between October 2024 and March 2025.

You may be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead of your electricity bill if your supplier provides you with both and you are eligible. Last year, eligibility for the Warm Home Discount Scheme varied depending on if you live in Wales or England, or if you live in Scotland.

Winter Fuel Payment - up to £300

From this winter only those on Pension Credit or means-tested benefits will get the Winter Fuel Payment - those on the credit will get £200 and £300 if someone is over 80. The Treasury said the winter fuel changes would see the number of pensioners receiving the payments fall from 11.4 million to 1.5 million – so just under 10 million would miss out. They added that about £1.5 billion will be saved per year by targeting winter fuel payments. This cut is happening in England and Wales. In Scotland and NI decisions about the payment are devolved, and not yet clear.

Cold Weather Payment - £25

Cold weather payments of £25 are paid if temperatures locally fall below zero for each seven days in a row. Eligibility includes those on pension credit, income support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), and Universal Credit.

Alex Clegg, economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: “Around 7.7 million households are facing fuel stress this winter, including over half of families with children. These stark statistics illustrate how poorly targeted winter fuel payments are, and why alternative support will be needed this winter.

“Couples with children are more than twice as likely to experience fuel stress as pensioner households, so any new support should not be limited to pensioners. Reforming and expanding cold weather payments offers a viable quick-fix solution to help keep households warm when the mercury drops this winter."

Christmas Bonus - £10

People will receive a bonus cash payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) ahead of Christmas this year. They will receive a £10 boost in the form of a Christmas bonus that will not need to be repaid and will not affect any other benefits.

To be eligible for the payment, you must be receiving one of the following benefits along with Universal Credit. You will need to be receiving the relevant benefits in qualifying week, which will most likely be the first week of December.

A full list of eligible benefits includes:

• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Carer’s Allowance
• Child Disability Payment
• Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
• Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim)
• Disability Living Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
• Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
• Mobility Supplement
• Pension Credit - the guaranteed element
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
• Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
• Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
• War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
• War Widow’s Pension
• Widowed Mother’s Allowance
• Widowed Parent’s Allowance
• Widow’s Pension

To qualify for the payment, as well as receiving one of the above benefits, you will also need to be a resident of one of six areas.

Household Support Fund - up to £740

The Household Support Fund has been extended by the new Labour Party government which has added a further £421million to the pot. The fund is available from October 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025. It's a bit of a postcode lottery, with local councils allowed to decide how much and who gets the cash.

Eligible residents in Plymouth could previously receive up to £740 in vouchers.