DWP warns 'just hours left' for people to unlock a free £300 payment

The Winter Fuel Payment was previously available to everyone aged at least 66 but is now being means tested.

UK households have been warned there is "just hours" left for tens of thousands of households to make a key move to unlock a £300 winter fuel payment thanks to a loophole. The Winter Fuel Payment was previously available to everyone aged at least 66 but is now being means tested.

It will only be paid out to those who qualify for Pension Credit, income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, income-related employment support allowance, tax credits, or Universal Credit. You must have an active claim for any of these benefits during the "qualifying week", which runs from September 16 to 22 (this week).

But claims can be backdated by between one and three months, depending on the benefit you're applying through. To be eligible for Pension Credit, you and your partner need to have both reached the State Pension age, which has excluded many from applying.

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But, if you have a younger partner, you may be able to make a claim to receive the Winter Fuel Payment through Universal Credit, and claims can be backdated by one month meaning the deadline to claim is today at midnight (October 18, Friday).

If eligible, you'll get up to £300, depending on your circumstances. Though it's worth noting you'll still get less than last year, as over the last two winters, the Government gave an extra £300 cost of living top-up on the Winter Fuel Payment – and this has now ended.

In Northern Ireland, the Winter Fuel Payment has so far been available to everyone above state pension age, but the Northern Ireland Communities Minister has confirmed it will be following the UK Government's lead this year, and will set the Winter Fuel Payment eligibility criteria in line with England and Wales, and will be paid in line with those in England and Wales.