State pensioners waking up to free £150 payment from DWP that's 'automatic'

The Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) is rolling out its Warm Home Discount scheme, which will run from October until March.

State pensioners are set for an automatic £150 boost to help with energy bills after Winter Fuel Payment cuts. The Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) is rolling out its Warm Home Discount scheme, which will run from October until March.

Eligible households will benefit from an automatic reduction on their electricity bills. To qualify for the Warm Home Discount, you need to claim either the guaranteed credit element of pension credit or a different qualifying benefit.

These include Income Support, Income based jobseeker's allowance, Income related employment and support allowance, Housing benefit, Universal Credit, Child tax credit, working tax credits and the "savings credit" part of pension credit.

READ MORE State pensioners waking up to free £150 payment that's 'automatic'

If you weren't claiming any of the above benefits on August 11, 2024, you won't be eligible for the payment. Where someone claims a qualifying benefit, the government will assess their energy costs based on the type, age and size of property.

But this rule doesn't apply to recipients of the guarantee credit portion of pension credit. Even if you weren't getting pension credit on August 11, thousands of pensioners who apply for the benefit now can still qualify for the £150 payment.

This is because pension credit rules allow first-time claimants to backdate their benefit entitlement by three months. You'll need to launch your claim by November 10 and then successfully get it backdated to cover the August 11 Warm Home Discount qualifying date.

But if you fail to apply before this date, you'll miss out. The timing of the discount application may vary among energy suppliers, occurring anytime up until March 2024. This flexibility allows providers to manage the distribution of the discount effectively throughout the winter months.

Eligible households who haven't received a letter by mid-January and believe they qualify should contact the Warm Home Discount helpline. The deadline for this winter's scheme will be announced later in the year.