Winter Fuel Payment

Spendit_Sue

I’ve received my letter from DWP stating my Winter Fuel Payment for 2022 will be £250 but I believe this to be wrong.  Can anyone please confirm if I qualify for a £500 payment before I contact DWP.

My Mother and I live together.

I was born 1951. 
MyMother was born in 1926 and receives pension credit.
My Mother’s Winter fuel payment will be £600.

From what I have read on the Gov website it would appear I should qualify for the higher amount of £500 as my Mother is in receipt of pension credit.  

If I do qualify, the additional money would make a huge difference to us and remove some of the stress we have over upcoming winter utility bills. 

whizzywoo

Just deleted my reply.  That will teach me not to scroll down to the bottom of the page in the link.  

https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/how-much-youll-get

Spendit_Sue

Thank you for your reply.  It definitely is not easy to understand. I think my Mother qualifies for the £600 because she is in receipt of  pension credit, otherwise she would get the £350.  


 

molerat

It is a bit confusing but the table shows

You qualify and live with someone (not your partner) who qualifies, and either of you gets one of the benefits	£500 - you’ll both get the payment	£600 - you’ll both get the payment

So IMO you should get £500

whizzywoo

Spendit_Sue said:

Thank you for your reply.  It definitely is not easy to understand. I think my Mother qualifies for the £600 because she is in receipt of  pension credit, otherwise she would get the £350.  


 

Just edited my reply. @molerat is correct.  I didn't read to the bottom of my own link!

Spendit_Sue

Thank you Molerat   that’s what I thought too from the second chart.  You only get 4 weeks to challenge it, so I suppose no harm in me trying.  

poppy12345

You're entitled to

whizzywoo said:

Spendit_Sue said:

Thank you for your reply.  It definitely is not easy to understand. I think my Mother qualifies for the £600 because she is in receipt of  pension credit, otherwise she would get the £350.  


 

No I don't think so.  The Winter Fuel Payment is not connected to any Means Tested Benefit.  It should only be £350, if the letter says more then I think it is incorrect.  Do the DWP know that your Mother lives at the same address as yourself?

That's not correct. Usually it's not but the Cost of living payments will entitle someone claiming pension credit to additional WFP this year.

if you get certain benefits

Your payment may be different if you or your partner gets one of the following benefits:

• Pension Credit
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Income Support

	Born between 26 September 1942 and 25 September 1956	Born on or before 25 September 1942
You qualify, get one of the benefits and live alone (or none of the people you live with qualify)	£500	£600
You qualify and live with a partner who qualifies, and either of you gets one of the benefits	£500 - only one of you will get the payment	£600 - only one of you will get the payment
You qualify and live with someone (not your partner) who qualifies, and either of you gets one of the benefits	£500 - you’ll both get the payment	£600 - you’ll both get the payment
You qualify, live in a care home and get one of the benefits	Nil	Nil

https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/how-much-youll-get

whizzywoo

Just edited my replies.  I hadn't scrolled down to the bottom of the link!  I didn't realise that Pension Credit changed it.  And that it is only partners where the payment is split.  Thanks @poppy12345 and @molerat

Apologies @Spendit_Sue

Spendit_Sue

That’s ok @whizzywhoo you replied in good faith   

Thank you @Poppy12345 for confirming what @Molerat said.  I’ll definitely get in touch with DWP as the extra money will make a huge difference to us.  

I’m grateful for the replies. 

Spendit_Sue

@whizzywoo @poppy12345 @Molerat
thought you might be interested in the outcome of my phone  call to DWP.

The £250 for me is correct and the £600 for my Mother is also correct.  

The table below should read:  
You’ll both get A payment. 

Not
You’ll both get THE payment 

If our roles were reversed and I was the one in receipt of pension credit (not my Mother) I would get the £500 and my Mother would get £350 from the previous table, as shown on gov website.

So both tables are used when calculating the Winter Fuel Payment, when only one of you is in receipt of a qualifying benefit.

As clear as mud!!!  

No wonder people don’t know what they are entitled to.

You qualify and live with someone (not your partner) who qualifies, and either of you gets one of the benefits	£500 - you’ll both get the payment	£600 - you’ll both get the payment

whizzywoo

@Spendit_Sue as you say - as clear as mud!