The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that 11.6million Winter Fuel Payments and Pensioner Cost of Living Payments - support worth a total of £4.6billion - have already been made to older people across the UK, including 973,604 living in Scotland.
DWP also said that the vast majority of these payments, worth up to £600 per household, have landed in pensioners’ bank accounts automatically, directly helping people manage their energy bills and household budgets this winter. The payments appear in bank statements with the reference beginning with the customer’s National Insurance number followed by ‘DWP WFP’.
People of State Pension age who have not yet received their payment are being urged by the DWP not to worry as payments are continuing into January. However, those who have not received their payments by January 13, 2023, should contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre online here or by phoning 0800 731 0160.
UKWork and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said: “As the cold weather bites, it is good to be able to confirm that over 99 percent of eligible pensioners have already received as much as £600 to help with their energy bills this winter.
“These payments are just one part of the wider support package we are delivering to help with rising bills, with additional help to follow next year – including the biggest State Pension increase in history.”
UK Government Minister for Scotland John Lamont said: "Around one million pensioners in Scotland have now received Winter Fuel Payments and Cost of Living payments worth up to £600 per household from the UK Government. With the weather being so cold, I know this will have been very welcome.
"If you think you should have received a Winter Fuel payment but haven’t, don’t worry as some payments will not be made until January. If you think you might be eligible but haven’t received a payment previously, please check your eligibility on gov.uk."
DWP said that the overwhelming majority of Winter Fuel Payments are paid automatically but some people need to make a claim, such as those who qualify but do not receive benefits or the State Pension and have never previously received a Winter Fuel Payment. Those who need to make a claim have until March 31, 2023 to do so - full details on how to do this can be fond on GOV.UK here.
Winter Fuel Payments are boosted this year by an additional £300 per household Pensioner Cost of Living payment as part of an extensive UK Government package helping people of all ages with the cost of heating their homes over the colder months.
This includes providing households with £400 towards their energy bills, with the UK Government’s £2,500 Energy Price Guarantee saving the typical household another £900 on top of this.
In addition, millions of payments of up to £650 have already been made this year to low-income households on eligible means-tested benefits as part of the Government’s cost of living support - this includes pensioners receiving Pension Credit.
The average Pension Credit award is worth over £3,500 a year and the online Pension Credit calculator can quickly help older people or their friends or family members check if they’re likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what they may receive - find out more here.
Further cost of living support to be paid next year was recently announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. Payments will include a further £300 for pensioner households, up to £900 for households on means-tested benefits and £150 for those on eligible disability benefits.
To keep up to date with the latest State Pension news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook page here, or subscribe to our newsletter which goes out four times each week - sign up here.
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