By Aditi Rane,Ashlea Hickin
Copyright cambridge-news
Millions of pensioners across the UK are set to receive a financial boost this winter, with three additional payments from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) totalling up to £460 before Christmas.
The package includes the Winter Fuel Payment, the Warm Home Discount, and the Christmas Bonus – all designed to help older people manage the rising costs of energy and household bills during the colder months. The payments are automatic, so pensioners do not need to apply, and they will arrive separately in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
The largest of the three is the Winter Fuel Payment, worth £200 per household or £300 where at least one person is aged over 80. Around 12 million pensioners are expected to benefit this year.
Those with higher incomes above £35,000 will still receive the payment, but it will later be recovered by HMRC through either PAYE or self-assessment.
Another key component is the Warm Home Discount, a one-off credit of £150 applied directly to electricity accounts between October and March, reports the Express.
This scheme, funded by energy suppliers, provides a crucial reduction in bills for those on certain benefits. Prepayment and Pay-As-You-Go customers will instead receive a voucher to help top up their meters.
Some suppliers have already opened applications for this year’s round of support, so pensioners are advised to check with their provider.
The third payment is the Christmas Bonus, a long-standing initiative by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that provides a £10 tax-free sum in early December to people receiving the State Pension and several other benefits.
This arrives as a separate payment and isn’t tied to regular pension disbursements, so recipients may see it appear on a different day.
This additional support comes alongside the Government’s Triple Lock policy, which will increase the State Pension by up to £1,900 over the course of this Parliament.
Ministers have stated that these measures are designed to provide reassurance as pensioners face the dual challenge of colder weather and rising household costs.
