DWP urges pensioners born before 1959 to ‘contact bank immediately’ | Personal Finance | Finance

Pensioners born before 1959 have been urged to contact their bank ‘immediately’ by the Department for Work and Pensions. This alert follows a series of winter fuel payment scams targeting older individuals, spurred by the Labour Party Government’s recent policy reversal.

Fiona Peake, personal finance expert at Ocean Finance, said there’s a lot of confusion about who qualifies and who doesn’t. She added: “In simple terms, if you’re over state pension age and your total annual income is £35,000 or less, you’ll receive the payment. This includes income from private pensions, freelance work, and interest on non-ISA savings. The payment will automatically appear in your bank account, likely in November or December.”

Fiona explained: “No forms, no calls, no claims. For those who know they’ll exceed the income limit, there’ll be an option to opt out of the payment entirely, to avoid having to repay it later, but the Government hasn’t specified exactly how yet.

“The winter fuel payment will serve as a lifeline for nearly two million older households living in fuel poverty, but the new eligibility criteria complicate matters.

“A single pensioner earning £36,000 a year could be required to repay the full amount, while a couple earning £69,000 could retain every penny. This creates a grey area that scammers are eager to exploit.”

Siobhan Blagbrough, financial crime manager at Ocean Finance, warns: “Fraudsters often seize upon Government announcements to deceive people when the public is most likely to be uncertain of the rules.

“We’re already seeing fake messages pretending to be from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), urging pensioners to ‘apply now’ or risk missing out on their £300 payment.

“These scam texts often include fake links and ask for personal details or for people to reply ‘YES’ to claim the payment. These messages are bogus. The DWP has confirmed that eligible households will receive the money automatically, and no application is needed.

“If you’ve already clicked a link or given details, contact your bank immediately. You can also report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. Above all, trust your instincts. Genuine Government payments won’t be sent via text messages with links or requests for personal information.”