Winter Fuel Payment 2019 to 2020: Eligible but haven’t been paid yet? When to expect money

An eligible person can get between £100 and £300 via the Winter Fuel Payment, in order to help them to pay their heating bills. And, with cold temperatures, strong winds and – in some cases – snow, the payment will likely be a welcome form of income for many. There are some eligibility rules, and factors such as whether an eligible person has deferred their state pension claim may affect whether they are paid automatically or not.

If a person was born on or before April 5, 1954, then they could get the payment.

The Winter Fuel Payment is usually paid automatically if a person is eligible, and they get the state pension or another social security benefit (not including Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit, or Universal Credit).

If a person is eligible but they do not get paid automatically, they will need to make a claim.

The deadline for claiming payments for winter 2019 to 2020 is March 31, 2020.

Winter Fuel Payment 2019 to 2020: Person turning up thermostat

Winter Fuel Payment 2019 to 2020: The payment is available to some to help with heating costs (Image: GETTY)

Should a person need to claim the payment, then they can do so by phone or by post.

When should Winter Fuel Payment 2019 to 2020 be paid by?

According to the government website, most payments are made automatically between November and December.

The money should be received by January 13, 2020, gov.uk states.

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As many people will be aware, this date is upcoming, falling on Monday.

If a person does not get their payment, they are directed to call the office that pays their benefits.

These details should be on any letters sent to the recipient.

Any money received by the Winter Fuel Payment will not affect an individual’s other benefits, gov.uk assures members of the public.

Winter Fuel Payment 2019 to 2020: Radiator in pictures

Winter Fuel Payment 2019 to 2020: Keeping warm will be essential in the wintertime, but it can mean a huge cost (Image: GETTY)

Winter Fuel Payment: Eligibility

A person qualifies for a Winter Fuel Payment if both the following apply:

They were born on or before April 5, 1954
They lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of 16 to 22 September 2019 – a week which is called the “qualifying week”.

Should they not have lived in the UK during this week, they may still get the payment if both the following apply:

They live in Switzerland or a European Economic Area (EEA) country
They have a “genuine and sufficient link to the UK” – which can include having lived or worked in the UK, and having family in the UK.

An individual cannot get the payment if they live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain, Gov.uk points out, and says this is because the average winter temperature is higher than the warmest region of the UK.

There are also certain instances which could mean a person will not qualify, and this includes if they are in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year, or they were in prison for the whole of the qualifying week.

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