Winter fuel allowances

A Winter Fuel Payment is an annual payment to help people aged 60 and over with their winter heating bills.

If you are aged 60-79 years and you are entitled to receive a Winter Fuel Payment, you will get the basic payment, depending on your circumstances in the qualifying week.

If you are aged 80 years or more and you are entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment, you will get an extra payment, depending on your circumstances in the qualifying week.

Full details are available on the Pension Service website (www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/winterfuel/home.asp).

Who qualifies?

You should qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment for the winter of 2007/08 if, during the qualifying week:

• you were aged 60 years or more and
• you normally live in Great Britain or Northern Ireland.

Payments may continue if you leave or have left the United Kingdom and are living in another European Economic Area (EEA) country. For more information on Winter Fuel Payments for people living within the EEA or in Switzerland, visit the Pension Service website (www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/winterfuel/livingabroad.asp).

Please note - all claims for winter 2007/08 should have been received by 30 March 2008.

People who cannot get a Winter Fuel Payment

You will not qualify for a payment if during the qualifying week of you:

• are in hospital getting free inpatient treatment and have been getting such treatment for more than 52 weeks;
• live with your husband, wife or partner and they get Pension Credit or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (they will get the Winter Fuel Payment);
• are in custody serving a sentence imposed by a court (you are not on remand);
• are subject to immigration control and not eligible for help from the Department for Work and Pensions (for example, an asylum seeker who claimed asylum at the port of entry after 3 April 2000);
• are living in a care home throughout that week and the 12 weeks before and get Pension Credit or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.

You can call the Winter Fuel Helpline if you need:

• further information on Winter Fuel Payments or Age-Related Payments;
• to tell them about a change in your circumstances;
• to get a claim form for Winter Fuel Payments for either this winter or past winters.

You can also download a claim form from the website (www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/resourcecentre/winterfuel/home.asp).

If you have any queries regarding your claim for winter 2007/2008, please call the Winter Fuel Payment Helpline on 0845 9151515 (0845 6015613 for textphone users). Lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm and calls are charged at local rates.

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