Still not received Winter heating payment, Unable to contact DWP.

Carlsdad

I am 86 years old and registered for Winter heating payment, which I normally receive the first week in November. I changed my bank details 12 months ago and contacted DWP to confirm that they had my new details. They said yes, as they were already paying my pension into the new account. However, as of today, I have still not had the money paid in. A couple of days ago, I tried to contact DWP but on each line I tried, a recorded message told me the line was not in use. I have also tried to contact my MP but, so far, she has not replied to my messages. To make matters worse, my energy supplier, Bulb, has doubled my monthly D.D. from £53 to £116, as my account is now in debt. My wife is on a palliative care programme and we are now very concerned about this situation. Can anyone advise me as to what my next course of action should be? Have just checked Messenger again and still no reply from my M.P.   Any help appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

Carlsdad

Further to my above post, I have just been on my Army veterans' Facebook page, and find the DWP has made a !!!!!!-up with the Winter Fuel payments to ex-military claimants and, as a result, some are to be paid out after next Monday. No wonder the phones were switched off. They must have been inundated with calls from ex-military. I'll now wait and see if I'm included in this pay-out. I have until March 31st to claim.

poppy12345

You are not the only person, there's a whole thread related to the same thing here. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6221316/winter-fuel-payment#latest

Pollycat

And a MSE article about it (dated 4/12/20):

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/12/winter-fuel-payments-letters-confusion/?_ga=2.27869119.2059400823.1610562739-1129412417.1610562739

Tens of thousands of people who are eligible for winter fuel payments are being urged to check their details after 60,000+ letters on the scheme were sent out with incorrect information, which in a small number of cases could affect how much you're paid. Here's what to watch out for and what you need to do.

How long ago did you contact your MP?

Carlsdad

Pollycat. Thanks for your interest. I left a message for her last week, but have so far received no response. 

Pollycat

A quick Google seems to say "If you haven’t heard back from them after about two weeks, you should follow up your email or letter with a phone call, or make an appointment to go and see them at their local surgery." which obviously was before covid.

https://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-an-mp-or-lord/contact-your-mp/#jump4

But your reference to 'messenger' suggests that you may have used Facebook to contact your MP (I am not a user of Facebook).

I would follow up today with an email - details are shown in the link above.

ETA:

I've just read your post on a different thread - have the DWP given any timescale for how long it will take to rectify the situation?

Carlsdad said:

According to the admin on my military vets' FB page, there has been a major glitch, and all, or most ex-service personnel have been classed as being out of the country last year, and therefor not qualifying. The DWP are in the process of rectifying the situation. 

I would include this information in your email to your MP.

Is the organisation you speak of (military vets) doing anything to raise awareness and escalate this issue?

rgk1953

From Age Uk site;

How can I claim Winter Fuel Payment?

If this is the first year you can claim, or if you’ve never claimed before, call the Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 0800 731 0160. You'll need to know your National Insurance number and your bank or building society details.

You only need to claim once. After this, you should automatically receive a payment every year, as long as your circumstances don’t change.

There have been some problems with the payment of Winter Fuel Payments this year. Some people have received a letter including old bank account details, but this should not be a problem. The DWP has the correct information and payment should still be made to the correct bank account. However, if the notification letter gives the wrong information about eligibility – for example it states a lower amount than someone is entitled to – or if no notification letter has been received, they should contact the Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 0800 731 016.

Additionally, there's been a slightly longer payment schedule this year, with an increased time between the notification letter being sent and the payment being made. The DWP has said it aims to have made all payments by 31 March, but if someone hasn’t received a payment yet, the DWP has said they should contact the Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 0800 731 016 and their case will be treated as a priority.

Pollycat

robertkidd said:

I’ve had the £10 but not the WFP. I received both separately last year in November. Haven’t received a letter yet, but last year the letter arrived about a week after the payment.

Just curious, robertkidd - you posted this ^^^^ on another WFP thread on 18/12/20 so have you received your WFP yet?

bobk75

Hi All.

Not sure if this is the right place but anyway....

Can anyone tell me the qualifying date in 2021 for an expat to claim Winter Fuel Allowance? Usually September....

calcotti

bobk75 said:

Hi All.

Not sure if this is the right place but anyway....

Can anyone tell me the qualifying date in 2021 for an expat to claim Winter Fuel Allowance? Usually September....

Dates for 2021 not yet confirmed but, based on previous years, I think the period during which presence is required is likely to be 20th to 26th September.

rgk1953

Pollycat said:

robertkidd said:

I’ve had the £10 but not the WFP. I received both separately last year in November. Haven’t received a letter yet, but last year the letter arrived about a week after the payment.

Just curious, robertkidd - you posted this ^^^^ on another WFP thread on 18/12/20 so have you received your WFP yet?

Not yet, I phoned them, eventually getting through and was told that there had been a problem and they would pass some information on to “payments “ who would contact me by mail or phone. No indication as to when this may happen, or reason what the problem was. Very poor response.