MILLIONS of pensioners will get a £300 cost of living paying directly into their bank accounts.
The “pensioner cost of living payment”, will start to be dished out to eight million households from this month.
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The help was first announced by new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak when he was Chancellor back in May.
It is separate from the £650 cost of living payment for those on Universal Credit and other legacy befits.
The extra cash will be given to those who already get the winter fuel payment, worth between £100 and £300 for those over state pension age.
This means that some pensioners eligible for the extra cash could receive up to £600.
Below we explain what you need to know about the help and when it will land in your account.
Who is eligible for the additional £300 this winter?
To qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment and Pensioner Cost of Living Payment, the following must apply:
- You were born on or before September 25, 1956
- You lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of 19 to 25 September 2022 – this is called the ‘qualifying week’
If you did not live in the UK during the qualifying week, you might still get the payment if both of the following apply:
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- You live in Switzerland or a European Economic Area (EEA) country
- You have a genuine and sufficient link to the UK – this can include having lived or worked in the UK, and having family in the UK
You cannot 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.
You won’t get the payment if you are in hospital for more then a year getting free treatment and in some other circumstances.
To find out more about who is eligible visit gov.uk.
Do I need to apply for the payment?
You generally do not need to claim Winter Fuel Payment – you’ll get it automatically if you’re eligible.
If you have not got a Winter Fuel Payment before, you only need to claim if any of the following apply:
- You do not get benefits or the State Pension
- The only benefit you get is Adult Disability Payment from the Scottish Government, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit
- You live in Switzerland or an EEA country
If you have got a Winter Fuel Payment before, you only need to claim if since your last payment you have either:
- Deferred your State Pension
- Moved to Switzerland or an EEA country
If you do need to claim you can do so by phone or by post.
When will I get the £300 payment?
The cash boost is set to be distributed with the usual Winter Fuel Payments from November 1.
Most payments get paid in November and December but if you have not received it by January 13 you can contact the Winter Fuel Payment centre.
How much will I get?
We’ve also added a breakdown of the Winter Fuel payment 2022-2023, which varies depending on your circumstances.
We’ve listed who will get what, according to the government.
Remember this includes your extra £300 boost.
- You qualify and live alone – £500 to £600
- You qualify alongside someone you live with who is under 80 and also qualifies – £250 to £350
- You qualify and live with someone over 80 who also qualifies – £250 to £300
- If either you or your partner also receive benefits – £500 to £600 (this amount is the same if someone you live with who isn’t your partner receives certain benefits)
- If you qualify but live in a care home and don’t get benefits – £250 to £300
The amount you’ll receive really depends on the date you were born, but you can easily check here for more details.
Universal Credit claimants will receive an extra cash bonus on top of the £650 cost of living payment that will also be landing in bank accounts from November.
In December, millions of people who claim UC and other benefits will be able to get their hands on an extra Christmas bonus cash boost – find out more here.
