State pensioners set for £368 DWP boost set to hit bank accounts in coming months | Personal Finance | Finance
More than one million State Pensioner households can expect to receive a series of extra payments worth up to £368.75 later this year.
The payments are not due to arrive until November at the earliest, however it is important to be aware of how much to expect and when.
With energy bills predicted to rise in October, many older people will be reliant on the Winter Fuel Payment to keep warm.
It is an annual tax-free payment for households that include someone born on or before 22 September 1958 (for 2024-25).
The payment is worth up to £300 although the exact amount depends on your age and whether other people in your household also qualify.
In Scotland, a new lump sum will replace the annual Winter Fuel Payment. The new Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) will be delivered by Social Security Scotland.
Eligibility is linked to the State Pension age of people living in each household – over 60, or over 80 – and their circumstances – single, couple, both of same age, or mixed ages – during the September qualifying week – this is also expected to stay the same.
If you live with someone else who is eligible for the payment, the payment may be split between the two of you.
Payment rates will be £100, £150, £200 or £300 for individuals, resulting in a typical household of two generally receiving £200 or £300 in total.
Winter Heating Payment – £58.75 one-off payment
This benefit is paid per person and is only available in Scotland. It replaced the lower £25 Cold Weather Payment delivered by the DWP in winter 2022, which is available to pensioners in the rest of the UK.
Unlike the DWP benefit, it is not dependent on a sustained period of cold weather in a specific location but is an annual, one-off payment made no matter the temperature.
The payment rises each year in line with inflation and will be worth £58.75 this winter. The majority of payments were made last year during December.
It is designed to help people on a low income or benefits who might have extra heating needs during the winter – this includes those on Pension Credit, Universal Credit and Income Support.
The qualifying period is usually a specific week in November which hasn’t been confirmed yet.
Christmas Bonus – £10
The bonus is a one-off, tax-free £10 payment made to people in receipt of State Pension or those claiming certain other benefits during the qualifying week – usually the first full week of December.
Nobody needs to apply for the extra £10 as it should automatically go into the account where you usually receive your State Pension or benefit payment.
It is made as a separate payment, independent of your scheduled State Pension or benefit payment, so it may arrive on a different day.
