One-off DWP payments for pensioners, families and disabled people still to come in 2024

Millions of individuals over the State Pension age had been anticipating a reversal on the UK Government's decision to alter the eligibility criteria for Winter Fuel Payments during the Autumn Budget. Despite strong campaigning by charities, unions, organisations and Martin Lewis, 10 million pensioners will not receive up to £300 this winter to assist with increased heating costs.

However, there are several one-off payments due before the New Year for households of all types and sizes - individuals, families, pensioners and disabled people.

Help for households this winter

There are six, separate one-off payments being issued to families, disabled people or those over State Pension age before the end of this year. Most of these lump sums are designed to help with higher heating bills, but there's also a 'bonus' for millions of benefit claimants and an extra payment for unpaid carers, reports the Daily Record.

People in a care home receive £100 and those aged between 66 and 79 receive £200. In addition to being over 66 to get the payment, people must also have been in receipt of a means-tested benefit, such as Pension Credit.

People over State Pension age in receipt of an income-related benefit during the qualifying week of September 16-22, 2024 will receive the payment automatically - the money is tax-free and will not affect other benefits.

However, DWP has confirmed that new claims made before December 21, which later turn out to be successful, will qualify for a backdated Winter Fuel Payment.

Complete information on payments can be found here.

Warm Home Discount

£150 paid directly to energy supplier Payment due: DWP administers this payment which is paid directly to energy suppliers and added as credit to a customer's account. It is not a cash payment.

If you're a credit customer the £150 will be added to your electricity account and if you're on Pay As You Go or Prepayment, you'll be sent a voucher that you can use to top-up your meter. The Warm Home Discount Scheme is designed to help people on a low income and on certain income-related benefits such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit.

This year's scheme is already open. To check if your energy supplier is accepting new claims, visit their website. Full details about the scheme and eligibility can be found on the relevant page. The DWP Christmas Bonus of £10 is typically paid automatically in early December.

This bonus is a one-off, tax-free £10 payment given to those receiving the State Pension or certain other benefits during the qualifying week - usually the first full week of December. There's no need 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. Eligible benefits can be found on the relevant page.

More information about the Christmas Bonus can be found on the designated page.

Cold Weather Payments

DWP’s Cold Weather Payments are an automatic bank top-up of £25, triggered to be paid to eligible households when the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below for seven consecutive days at the weather station linked to an eligible person’s postcode.

The £25 payments will be paid automatically to households receiving certain benefits including, Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Universal Credit and Support for Mortgage Interest.

The money will appear in bank statements within 14 days of each seven-day period of very cold weather between 1 November 2024 and 31 March 2025, with the payment reference starting with the customer’s national Insurance number followed by ‘DWP CWP’ for people in England and Wales.

The £150 Warm Home Discount scheme has also been extended as we continue to stand behind households in, or at risk of, fuel poverty with direct energy bill payments as well as other financial and energy-related support.

Household Support Fund

Struggling households can receive further help with their bills and essential costs through the extension of the Household Support Fund – adding to the six months already announced, an additional £1 billion will be invested to extend this support by a full year, and to maintain Discretionary Housing Payments in England and Wales.

Anyone struggling to heat their homes or afford other essential items over the colder months should contact their local council to see what support may be available to them.

Many councils also use the Fund beyond emergency support, including working with local charities and community groups to provide residents with key appliances, school uniforms, cookery classes, and items to improve energy efficiency in the home.

Eligible pensioners can also receive up to £300 for the Winter Fuel Payment which is set to land in bank accounts in the next two months. This is accessed through entitlement to Pension Credit.

Pension Credit could be worth up to £3,900 a year on average and open the doors to other benefits including help with housing costs, council tax reduction as well as a Winter Fuel Payment, and all eligible Pension Credit claims can be backdated.