Pensioners urged to claim £475 DWP payment before Christmas - who is eligible

UK state pensioners born before 1953 could receive £475 before Christmas. The Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) is urging those of state pension age to check their eligibility for additional financial support this winter, as several schemes offer freebies.

Eligible pensioners can receive a Winter Fuel Payment up to £300, a Warm Homes Discount worth £150, and a Cold Weather Payment worth £25 - totalling £475 of free cash. Pensioners claiming Pension Credit will qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment this year, which is worth up to £300.

The DWP states that it takes an average of 16 minutes to apply, and successful claims made before December 21 will receive both backdated Pension Credit and a Winter Fuel Payment. To qualify for Pension Credit, you must have reached State Pension age and have an income less than £218.15 per week (or £332.95 for couples).

If your income is between £218 and £235 per week (or £333 to £350 for couples), you may still qualify depending on your circumstances. This means that pensioners who claim the Basic State Pension should be eligible for Pension Credit as it only amounts to £169.50.

Therefore, if you're a man born on or after April 6, 1951, or a woman born on or after April 6, 1953, you can apply for the benefit and consequently qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment.

If you were born before 1953 and are receiving the New State Pension, you'll be paid at a rate of £221.20 per week. This is above the threshold for Pension Credit eligibility, meaning you may not qualify for Pension Credit or the Winter Fuel Payment if your income is too high.

However, exceptions exist if your amount is lower due to missing National Insurance qualifying years, for instance. Those who do meet the criteria for Pension Credit should receive the Winter Fuel Payment, which is either £200 or £300, to help with heating bills this winter.

This payment is made automatically in November or December, and you should receive a letter detailing how much you're entitled to and where the money will be deposited. Pensioners born before 1953 could also be eligible for the Warm Home Discount scheme, offering a one-off £150 discount on your electricity bill.

This discount is applied directly to your bill by your energy supplier. You'll qualify for this if all these three criteria were met on August 11, 2024: your energy supplier is part of the scheme, your name (or your partner's) is on the electricity bill, and you or your partner are receiving the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (even if you get Savings Credit as well).

If you qualify, your electricity supplier will automatically apply the discount to your bill between now and March 31, 2025.

Moreover, the DWP has begun distributing Cold Weather Payments to qualifying households, providing an automatic bank top-up of £25. This is paid when the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0C or below for seven consecutive days at the weather station linked to an eligible person's postcode.

The funds will be deposited into your bank account within 14 days between now and March 31, 2025, and the payment reference will commence with your National Insurance number followed by 'DWP CWP'.