The Winter Fuel Payment will once again be given to pensioners as a way to help with heating costs when the temperatures drop – but many may not realise they could still be eligible if they live abroad.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently published its online guidance for the 2023/24 Winter Fuel Payment, which will be worth up to £600 for people of State Pension age. Those who are eligible will receive the payments directly and can also benefit from a pensioner cost of living payment.
This means that those who are eligible for the payment this winter will also get a cost of living top up of either £150 or £300. The payment is usually made in November or December and this year means eligible households could receive between £250 and £600 to offset higher costs during the colder months.
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The money will also be paid to eligible British expats living in 25 European Economic Area (EEA) countries or Switzerland, the Daily Record reports. Older people living in warmer countries bordering the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea will not be eligible for the annual payment.
This means you won’t receive the payment if you live in France, Spain, Cyprus, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta or Portugal as the average winter temperature is higher than that recorded in the warmest part of the UK.
Eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment if you live abroad
If you do not live in the UK, you will only be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment if:
- You moved to an eligible country before January 1, 2021
- You were born before September 25, 1957
- 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
Eligible countries
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- Germany
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Sweden
- Switzerland
When to claim
You only need to claim Winter Fuel Payment if you’ve not received it since you moved abroad. The rest of the time, you will get the payment automatically.
How to make a claim
You can claim Winter Fuel Payment by:
- Post – from September 18, 2023
- Phone – from October 4, 2023
How to claim by post
You will need to download and fill in:
- a Winter Fuel Payment claim form – available on GOV.UK here from September 18
- form IPCF091, if you’re a UK national or UK dual national living in an eligible country other than Ireland – available on GOV.UK here from September 18
How to claim by phone
Call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre to claim by phone on +44 (0)191 218 7777.
What to prepare before you call
Before you call, you will need to know:
- your National Insurance number
- your bank or building society details
- your BIC and IBAN numbers
- the date you were married or entered into a civil partnership (if appropriate)
Full details on claiming if you live abroad are on GOV.UK here. If you live in the UK, full details on making a new claim can be found here.
