The colder months are coming which means many households will be considering putting on their heating, however, the recent rise in energy bills means that a lot of people may be reluctant to do so and cutting back on usage to save money. But many may not be aware that there are five one-off payments due between now and March specifically aimed at helping with the additional costs of winter - outwith the UK Government’s £400 energy rebate.
The payments are for those on a low-income or certain benefits and worth more than £1,000. All but one of the lump sums will go directly to the claimant - the £150 Warm Home Discount goes to your energy supplier and is deducted from your electricity bill. There are also two devolved payments, only available to people living in Scotland.
The list below explains what these five payments are, who qualifies for them and when to expect them. There’s also a reminder about the £2,500 Energy Price Guarantee and the £400 energy rebate to help you plan your budget this winter.
Five heating payments due this winter
Most of these payments will be made automatically, the only one you may need to apply for is the £150 Warm Home Discount Scheme, due to the eligibility changes this year - find out more here.
Winter Fuel Payment - up to £600
This year, a one-off pensioner cost of living payment (worth between £150 and £300) is being added to the annual Winter Fuel Payments, which are worth up to £300 depending on your household circumstances.
In total, these combined payments are worth up to £600 in heating bill help and will start to land in bank accounts from mid-November. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has said that these should arrive no later than January 13, 2023.
It is not taxable and does not affect eligibility for other benefits. The money is paid per household.
To be eligible for this year's Winter Fuel Payment, you must have been born on or before September 25, 1956 and lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of 19 to 25 September 2022 - this is called the ‘qualifying week’.
We have a full list of how much to expect depending on your circumstances here.
You can find more information about the Winter Fuel Payment on GOV.UK here.
Warm Home Discount - £150
The scheme officially opens in November, but some suppliers are taking applications now. The money is not paid to you - it’s a one-off discount on your electricity bill made directly to your supplier, between October 2022 and March 2023.
The list of energy suppliers participating in the winter 2022/23 Warm Home Discount scheme has not been updated on GOV.UK yet, but the £150 discount is normally automatically made to those on a low income or qualifying benefit.
If you live in Scotland, you qualify if you either:
- get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit - known as the ‘core group’
- are on a low income and meet your energy supplier’s criteria for the scheme - known as the ‘broader group’
We recently looked at the rule changes for the scheme which you can read here and there is a dedicated page to the Warm Home Discount section on each energy suppliers website on GOV.UK here.
Child Winter Heating Assistance (Scotland only) - £214
Child Winter Heating Assistance is an annual payment of £214 for youngsters in Scotland on disability benefits to help with increased costs over the colder months.
The money is paid once a year and the Scottish Government has confirmed that the payment for winter 2022/23 will be £214.10 per eligible child or young person.
Children and young people in Scotland can get the heating assistance payment if they are under 19 years old and in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits between September 19 and September 25.
There’s no specific payment date, but it will be made automatically from the end of November.
Qualifying benefits:
- Child Disability Payment - highest rate of the care component
- Disability Living Allowance for children - highest rate of the care component
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - enhanced daily living component
- Adult Disability Payment - enhanced rate of the daily living component
Find out more about Child Winter Heating Assistance here.
Winter Heating Payment (Scotland only) - £50
The £50 Winter Heating Payment will replace Cold Weather Payments in Scotland and is a one-off lump sum due to be paid in February, 2023 to help with energy bills.
Households on these benefits will qualify for the payment:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support for Mortgage Interest
Find out more about Winter Heating Payment here.
Cold Weather Payments (not Scotland) - £25
These are being replaced in Scotland by the one-off £50 Winter Heating Payment due to be paid in February, 2023.
This is a £25 payment from DWP for those on a low-income or certain qualifying benefits, triggered when temperatures are recorded or forecast at below zero degrees Celsius for seven days in-a-row in a claimant’s local area between November 1 and March 31.
You may be eligible for Cold Weather Payments if you’re getting:
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
- Support for Mortgage Interest
You can read the full details for eligibility for each of these on the GOV.UK website here.
UK-wide support for winter energy bills
The UK Government’s Energy Price Guarantee came into force this month and will reduce the unit cost of electricity and gas so that a typical household will pay around £2,500 a year for their energy bills until April, 2023. The Treasury will hold a review to devise a new plan of support most-likely means-tested.
However, it’s important to be aware that your actual bill and savings could be higher or lower depending on the size of your home, how well it is insulated, how many people live there and how much energy you use. The simple rule of thumb is, use more energy and your bills will be higher, use less and your bills will be lower.
The £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme also started this month, giving households a monthly discount of £66 (£67 from December) off their electricity bill until March, 2023.
To keep up to date with the latest cost of living news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook group here or subscribe to our newsletter which goes out three times each week - sign up here.
READ NEXT
- New Energy Price Guarantee update for people currently on a variable tariff or prepayment meter
New Warm Home Discount Scheme rules - check if you are due £150 off energy bills this winter
£400 energy rebate to be given to private tenants and park home residents by end of the year
How to ask your energy provider for help if you struggle to pay higher heating bills this winter
Young people on PIP and DLA to receive £214 payment this winter
