DWP rejects call to revise Winter Fuel Payment eligibility date for older people

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that there are no plans to change the qualifying criteria for Winter Fuel Payments “at this time” in response to a query from a Labour MP over the potential merits of revising the eligibility rules.

To be eligible for this year's Winter Fuel Payment, you must have been born on or before September 25, 1956 and have lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of September 19 - 25, 2022 - this is called the ‘qualifying week’.

If you do not meet either of these qualifying criteria, or if you live abroad, you may need to make a claim. If you’ve had a Winter Fuel Payment before, you do not need to claim again unless you’ve deferred your State Pension or moved abroad - find out more here.

However, Labour MP Beth Winter, asked: “What recent assessment she [Secretary of State for Work and Pensions], has made of the potential merits of revising the eligibility date of 25 September 1956 to qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment.”In a written response, DWP minister Victoria Prentis, said: “There are no plans to change the qualifying criteria for Winter Fuel Payments at this time.“Winter fuel payments are an age-related payment made to those who have reached State Pension age.“For winter 2022/23 a person has to have reached State Pension age (which means a person must be born on or before 25 September 1956) on or before the end of the September qualifying week.”The DWP recently updated online guidance to make it simpler for eight million pensioner households to find out if they are eligible for a £300 cost of living payment this winter.This one-off lump sum will be added to their annual Winter Fuel Payment, due to be paid over November and December, but to be eligible