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Exact code to spot if up to £300 winter fuel payment has landed in YOUR bank account – and what to do if it’s missing
How to check payments have been made and claim missing cash
ANYONE expecting to receive the winter fuel payment needs to check their bank account for a simple code to ensure it has been paid.
All those entitled to the payment should have received it into their bank accounts by today (January 29).
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The winter fuel payment is worth up to £300 and offers crucial support to pensioners struggling to afford energy bills.
If you were due the payment and it's not landed in your account you need to act now, especially as the benefit has been distributed differently this year.
The winter fuel payment was previously available to everyone aged 66 and over.
However, cuts introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves now restrict the payment to retirees receiving Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits.
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To be eligible for this year's payment, you must have had an active claim for any of these benefits during the "qualifying week," which ran from September 16-22.
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income Support
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
The deadline to secure eligibility has now passed and payments should have landed in bank accounts.
For those living in England and Wales, the payment will appear as the customer's National Insurance (NI) number followed by "DWP WFP".
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Whereas those in Northern Ireland should look for their NI number followed by "DFC WFP".
For example if you live in England and your NI number is QQ123456B the payment would show up as QQ123456B DWP WFP.
Those who were eligible should have received a letter telling them how much they will be paid.
The winter fuel payment is worth £200 for eligible households or £300 for eligible households with a resident aged over 80.
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Most payments will have been made automatically in November or December, with no need for people to apply.
You will only have needed to apply if:
- you moved to an eligible country before January 1, 2021
- you were born before September 23, 1958
- 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
So, if you've not received the payment and expected to you should take action.
What to do if you've not received payment
If the money has not been paid into your account you should contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.
Calls to the centre can be made on 0800 731 0160 between 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
When you contact the centre you'll need to provide personal details including your name, address, date of birth and National Insurance number.
Other energy support available
If you're struggling with energy costs but have not qualified for the winter fuel payment there are other ways to access support.
In response to the government's cuts to the winter fuel payments, Octopus Energy launched a scheme offering discretionary credit of between £50 and £200 to pensioners.
British Gas has also set aside over £140million this winter for its Individual and Families Support Fund.
And Scottish Power's Hardship Fund has handed out more than £60million to its struggling customers.
To find out what you can get, check the offers from your own supplier first by going to their website or asking someone on the phone.
Most schemes are exclusive to customers, but the British Gas Individual and Families fund is available to everyone if your own supplier can't help.
Help can also be accessed from your local council via the Household Support Fund, which has seen a fresh pot of £421million made available to support vulnerable households.
To find out if you are eligible, go to your local council's website and read over the conditions of the scheme.
If you're just looking for simple ways to reduce your bill this winter, many energy supplier schemes, as well as the Household Support Fund schemes also offer free electric blankets as part of their deal.
For example, Octopus have said it will distribute 20,000 electric blankets from Dreamland to its most vulnerable customers, keeping them warm for "as little as 3p an hour".
The Warm Home Discount is also available to homes on low incomes or in receipt of certain benefits.
The one-off £150 discount on your electricity bill is administered by energy companies, so if you think you should qualify speak to your provider.
And, if you fall into debt you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This would involve paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you're going to struggle to pay, always speak to them again to try and negotiate a manageable timetable.
Many energy firms also have schemes available to help customers who have fallen into debt.
Firms, including British Gas and Octopus Energy, are offering grants and other support.
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There could be as much as £2,000 support available but each firm has different schemes and different criteria to access help so make sure you contact your provider to find out what support is on offer.
It is important to note that the elderly should not avoid turning the heating on if they are cold - for energy help contact your provider or local council, or read our article here.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity works out what you could get.
Entitledto's determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data.
You can use to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
Plus, you can join our Facebook group to share your tips and stories
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