Do I qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment?
You should qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment for the winter of 2008/09 if, during the qualifying week of 15-21 September 2008, you were:
- aged 60 or over and
- normally living in Great Britain or Northern Ireland
Payments may continue if you leave or have left the United Kingdom and are living in another EEA country. For more information, see our section on receiving Winter Fuel Payments whilst living in another EEA country or Switzerland
People who cannot get a Winter Fuel Payment
You will not qualify for a payment if, during the qualifying week of 15-21 September 2008, you were:
- in hospital getting free inpatient treatment and have been getting such treatment for more than 52 weeks
- in custody serving a sentence imposed by a court
- subject to immigration control and not eligible for help from the Department for Work and Pensions (for example, you have been allowed into the UK on the understanding that you are supporting yourself and you are not entitled to help from public funds)
- living in a care home [1], an independent hospital [2] or Ilford Park Polish Resettlement Home (and have been for the preceeding 12 weeks or more), and get Pension Credit or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Couples receiving Pension Credit or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance will only get one payment made to the person receiving that benefit. Other couples will get £125 each if both partners are aged 60 or over and entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment.
[1] Care homes include nursing homes, residental care homes and local authority residential accomodation
[2] An independent hospital is a hospital which is not a National Health Service Hospital
We use partner to mean either:
- a person you are married to or a person you live with as if you are married to them
- a civil partner or a person you live with as if you are civil partners