People of State Pension age have until end of week to claim £600 energy bill help from DWP

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A top energy expert is warning that “a few thousand” people over State Pension age only have until the end of this week to claim winter heating bill help, worth up to £600.

Malcolm Grimston, Senior research fellow for Energy Policy and Technology at Imperial College London, said that millions of pensioners have already received the payment automatically, but two specific groups may not - and they need to make a claim before March 31, 2023.The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed in December that 11.6million Winter Fuel Payments for 2022/23 - worth up to £300, along with pensioner cost of living payments also worth up to £300, have already been made to older people across the country, including 973,604 living in Scotland.DWP has also previously said that some people need to make a claim, such as those who qualify but do not receive benefits or the State Pension and have never previously received a Winter Fuel Payment.Mr Grimston told GB News: “The payment has gone to around 11.5million people and there’s a few thousand it hasn’t gone to automatically.“It’s basically the people who aren’t on a State Pension for some reason but have reached pensionable age or who have deferred their State Pension and who haven’t had the payment before.“If you had it last year, you’ll have no problem but if you’re in those groups you then have to specifically apply.

So, a relatively small number of people but obviously important to them.”Pensioners who have moved abroad may also be eligible, but will need to make a claim if they have never claimed the contributory benefit before.To be eligible for the 2022/23 Winter Fuel Payment, you must have been born on or before September 25, 1956 and lived in the UK for at least one day