Who qualifies for Winter Fuel Payment

Part of: Winter Fuel Payment

Find out who is eligible for Winter Fuel Payment, a benefit paid to older people to help them to keep warm in winter.

Who can get it

Winter Fuel Payment is not means tested. You can get it if you’re working or claiming a benefit.

You can automatically qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2020/2021 if both the following apply:

  • you have reached the qualifying age which means you were born on or before 5 October 1954
  • you normally lived in Northern Ireland or Great Britain for at least one day during the week 21 to 27 September 2020 - this is called the 'qualifying week'

You will not qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment if, throughout the week of 21 to 27 September 2020, you:

  • were in prison for the whole week from 21 to 27 September 2020
  • were in hospital getting free treatment for more than 52 weeks
  • needed permission to enter the UK and your granted leave states that you cannot claim public funds
  • lived in a care home for the whole time from 29 June to 27 September 2020 and were receiving Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance 

You may still be able to get Cold Weather Payment, even if you do not qualify for Winter Fuel Payment.

Winter Fuel Payments abroad

You may be eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment if you lived in another European Economic Area country or Switzerland throughout the week  of 21 to 27 September 2020 and you have a genuine and sufficient link with the UK.

You can’t get the payment if you live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain because the average winter temperature is higher than the warmest region of the UK.

Make a claim for Winter Fuel Payment

To find out who needs to make a claim for the payment and how to go about it, visit the following page:

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