Exact date important DWP letters about £300 Winter Fuel Payment will land on door steps

The Winter Fuel Payment is a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefit worth between £200 and £300 given to low-income Brits over the state pension age

Over one million households will soon receive letters confirming their Winter Fuel Payment entitlement this year.

The Winter Fuel Payment is a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefit given to low-income Brits over the state pension age. The payment - worth between £200 and £300 - helps cover the costs of heating during the colder months.

The DWP support has made headlines this year as Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced huge changes to its eligibility criteria this summer. Before, the payment was given to everyone over 66 years, however now it is only given to those claiming certain DWP benefits. This meant that people set for the payment this winter dropped from over 11million to just over one million now.

The DWP will begin sending letters to pensioners who qualify for the payment in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the end of October. People in Scotland will start to receive letters in November. The Scottish Government will introduce a new payment - the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment - next year.

To be eligible for this year's payment, . You need to have been born before September 23, 1958, and claiming one of the following benefits between September 16 and September 22, this year:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Universal Credit

The exact amount you will get depends on your personal circumstances. If you live alone, you’ll get either:

• £200 if you were born between September 23, 1944 and September 22, 1958
• £300 if you were born before September 23, 1944

And if you live with someone, so you and your partner jointly claim any of the benefits, one of you will get a payment of either:

• £200 if both of you were born between September 23, 1944 and September 22, 1958
• £300 if one or both of you were born before September 23, 1944

If you live in a care home and are eligible you’ll get either:

• £100 if you were born between September 23, 1944 and September 22, 1958
• £150 if you were born before September 23, 1944

You’ll be automatically paid into the bank account your benefits are usually paid into, and all qualifying pensioners across the UK should receive their payment of either £200 or £300 by November or December. If you do not get a letter or the money has not been paid into your account by January 29, 2025, it is recommended that you contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. This is operated by the DWP and can be reached by telephone at 0800 731 0160.