You could get between £100 and £300 tax-free to help pay your heating bills if you were born on or before 5 January 1952. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.

Most payments are made automatically between November and December. You should get your money by Christmas.

You usually get a Winter Fuel Payment automatically if you get the State Pension or another social security benefit (not Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction or Child Benefit).

If you qualify but don’t get paid automatically, you’ll need to make a claim.

Any money you get won't affect your other benefits.

How much you get depends on your circumstances during the qualifying week. The qualifying week for winter 2013 to 2014 is 16 to 22 September 2013.

Any money you get is tax-free and won't affect your other benefits.

** Benefits: Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Income Support

*** Your partner getting the benefit will get the Winter Fuel Payment on your behalf

How and when you’re paid

You’ll get a letter telling you how much you’ll get and an estimated payment date.

Most payments are made automatically between November and December. You should get your money by Christmas 2013.

If you qualify and you’re not getting a social security benefit (or if you only get Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction or Child Benefit), you’ll need to make a claim.

All benefits, pensions and allowances are paid into an account, eg a bank account.

You’ll qualify for Winter Fuel Payment if:

• you were born on or before 5 January 1952 (for winter 2013 to 2014 - this date changes every year)
• you normally live in the UK throughout the week of 16 to 22 September 2013

You may still be able to get the payment if you live in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland and you have a genuine link with the UK.

When you don’t qualify

You don’t qualify if throughout the week of 16 to 22 September 2013 you:

• were in prison
• were in hospital getting free treatment for more than 52 weeks
• needed permission to enter the UK and didn’t qualify for help from the Department for Work and Pensions
• lived in a care home for the previous 12 weeks or more and got Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance

Change of circumstance

Report any change of circumstance as these can affect how much you get. For example, if the qualifying person stops getting a benefit, moves out, dies or goes into care.

Contact the office paying your benefits - their details are on any letters they sent you.

Most Winter Fuel Payments are paid automatically. Write to the office that pays your Winter Fuel Payment if you want to cancel it.

You need to claim Winter Fuel Payment if you’ve not had it before and either of the following apply:

• you don’t get benefits or a State Pension
• you only get Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction or Child Benefit

If you’ve claimed before

You should get your Winter Fuel Payment automatically from the organisation that pays your benefits. Contact them if you have any questions or there’s a change in your circumstances. You can find their details on any letters they’ve sent you.

Claim forms - winter 2013 to 2014

The claim form you need depends on where you live.

• Winter Fuel Payment claim form if you live in the UK
• Winter Fuel Payment claim form if you live in another EEA country or Switzerland

Claim form - past winters

If you’re eligible, use the Winter Fuel Payments claim form - past winters to claim for winters between 1997 to 1998, 1998 to 1999 and 1999 to 2000.

You can't make a late claim for winters from 2000 to 2001 onwards.

Where to send your claim form

Send your claim to the following address if you’re in the UK.

Winter Fuel Payment Centre
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1LR

Send your claim to the following address if you’re in the EEA or Switzerland.

The Pension Service 11
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1LW

Winter Fuel Payments helpline for new claimants

Email enquiry form
Telephone: 08459 15 15 15
From outside the UK: +44 (0)191 218 7777
Textphone: 0845 601 5613
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm
Find out about call charges

Appeal a decision

You can appeal the decision about your Winter Fuel Payment if you're unhappy with it.