Keeping warm in winter

If you're a pensioner or you're at risk of fuel poverty, you can get help towards your heating costs.

Winter Fuel Payments

You could get a Winter Fuel Payment worth between £200 to £650 to help pay your heating bill in 2023/24 if you were born on or before 25 September 1957. This date changes every year.

The amount you get includes a ‘Pensioner Cost of Living Payment’. This is between £150 and £300.

Check how much Winter Fuel Payment you'll get on GOV.UK

You’ll get this extra amount in winter 2023 to 2024. This is in addition to any other Cost of Living Payments you get with your benefit or tax credits.

Eligibility

You should automatically get a Winter Fuel Payment without having to make a claim each year if you:

satisfy the residence conditions
reached state pension age in the week beginning 21 September 2023
receive a state pension or other social security benefit (except Child Benefit, Universal Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support)
received a payment last year

It does not matter how much income or savings you have, and payments will not affect your pension or other benefits.

Payments are usually made between November and December each year.

How to claim if you need to

If you qualify but do not get paid automatically, you'll need to make a claim on or before 31 March 2024.

Claim Winter Fuel Payment on GOV.UK

Cold Weather Payments

These are paid for each week of exceptionally cold weather to help towards extra heating costs.

Eligibility

You may get Cold Weather Payments if you're getting:

Pension Credit (any rate)
Support for Mortgage Interest
Income Support
income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Universal Credit

Other eligibility criteria apply depending on what benefits you get.

Check if you're eligible for cold weather payments on GOV.UK

What you'll get

You'll get a payment if the average temperature where you live is, or is forecast to be, zero degrees centigrade or below for seven days in a row between 1 November and 31 March.

You will get a Cold Weather Payment of £25 for each seven-day cold period. The payment is made automatically, so there is no need to claim.

You should tell Jobcentre Plus if you’re receiving one of the qualifying benefits and have just had a baby, or if a child under 5 comes to live with you.

Warm Home discount scheme

You could get a £150 discount on your electricity bill in winter if you’re on a low income.

Older people receiving the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit will get the discount automatically.

Other people on low incomes or those at risk of fuel poverty may also be eligible.

You need to be in receipt of qualifying benefit or tax credit and have a high energy cost score. If eligible you should get the discount automatically.

Find out about the Warm Home Discount Scheme and if you're eligible on GOV.UK

To qualify, your electricity provider must be participating in the scheme.

Energy company trust grants

Some utility providers have trust funds that can help by giving grants to some of their customers to help pay for gas and electricity arrears and other essential domestic bills.

To find out more about grants from utility providers, visit the Charis website.

Stay Warm Stay Safe

This Royal Greenwich project provides extra services and support for residents who may be at risk during the cold weather.

It particularly targets older people and vulnerable households such as families with young children or those with a physical, mental or learning disability.

Visit the Live Well Greenwich website or call 0800 470 4831.

South East London Community Energy (SELCE)

SLECE is a not-for-profit social enterprise formed by Greenwich and Lewisham residents.

Services include energy efficiency advice and help to reduce energy bills.

To find out more: