Latest news with #FuelPayments
Daily Record
04-07-2025
- Daily Record
DWP issues new Winter Fuel Payment claims warning to all pensioners
Around nine million pensioners will receive between £100 and £300 to help with winter energy bills. What are phishing scams and how can you recognise them? The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently confirmed that the 2025/26 Winter Fuel Payment qualifying period is September 15-21. One-off payments of between £100 and £300 will be issued automatically to around nine million people in England and Wales over November and December. Similarly, older people in Scotland will receive automatic payments of up to £305.10 through the devolved Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) on November 30. These payments will be issued by Social Security Scotland. However, DWP is warning all pensioners to be on the lookout for texts about claiming this year's Winter Fuel Payment as it is a scam. This is also something consumer champion Martin Lewis warned about shortly after the eligibility policy U-turn was announced last month. In a post on X, DWP posted: 'Beware: If you get a text about "Winter Fuel Payment" it is a Fuel Payments are made automatically, you do not need to do anything.' It also gave details on how to report suspicious texts at here. These 'phishing scams' enable crooks to hook innocent victims by sending convincing looking fake messages purporting to be government agencies like the DWP. But they are simply a ploy to lure people to click on a link which can take them to a fake website - which may appear completely genuine - and enter their personal and financial details, unknowingly giving criminals access to sensitive data. The DWP message is clear - Winter Fuel Payments will be issued automatically, nobody needs to claim it. Eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments You can get a Winter Fuel Payment if you were born before September 22, 1959 and live in England or Wales. When you will not be eligible You will not be eligible if you: live outside England and Wales were in hospital getting free treatment for the whole of the week of 15 to 21 September 2025 and the year before that need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave says that you cannot claim public funds were in prison for the whole of the week of 15 to 21 September 2025 If you live in a care home You can get Winter Fuel Payment if you live in a care home, however, you will not be eligible if both of the following apply: you get Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) you lived in a care home for the whole time from 23 June 2025 or earlier Payments DWP guidance explains: 'You'll get a letter in October or November telling you how much Winter Fuel Payment you'll get, if you're eligible. 'If you do not get a letter but think you're eligible, check if you need to make a claim.' It's important to be aware that scammers may try and trick you into making a claim by text, prompting you to click on a link. This is not an official DWP message and should be deleted. If you think you need to claim, follow the guidance on here. The amount you get is based on when you were born and your circumstances between 15 to 21 September 2025. This is called the 'qualifying week'. Any money you get will not affect your other benefits. If you live alone or no one you live with is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment You will get either: £200 if you were born between September 22, 1945 and September 21, 1959 £300 if you were born before September 22, 1945 If you live with someone else who is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment Your payment may be different if you get one of the following benefits: Pension Credit Universal Credit income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Income Support If you do not get any of the benefits You will get a payment of: £100 if you and the person you live with were both born between September 22, 1945 and September 21, 1959 £100 if you were born between September 22, 1945 and September 21, 1959 but the person you live with was born before September 22, 1945 £200 if you were born before September 22, 1945 but the person you live with was born between September 22, 1945 and September 21, 1959 £150 if you and the person you live with were born before September 22, 1945 If you and your partner jointly claim any of the benefits One of you will get a payment of either: £200 if both of you were born between September 22, 1945 and September 21, 1959 £300 if one or both of you were born before September 22, 1945 The money will be paid into the bank account your benefits are usually paid into. If you get any of the benefits (not as part of a joint claim) You will get a payment of either: £200 if you were born between September 22, 1945 and September 21, 1959 £300 if you were born before September 22, 1945 If your income is more than £35,000 HMRC will take back all of your Winter Fuel Payment through either PAYE or your Self Assessment tax return. If you live in a care home If you are eligible you'll get either: £100 if you were born between September 22, 1945 and September 21, 1959 £150 if you were born before September 22, 1945 When you will get paid DWP said most payments will be made automatically in November or December. You should get a letter telling you: how much you'll get which bank account it will be paid into - this is usually the same account as your State Pension or other benefits DWP added: 'If you do not get a letter or the money has not been paid into your account by 28 January 2026, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.' Opting out of Winter Fuel Payment You can choose to opt out of getting all future Winter Fuel Payments. To opt out you need to contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre before September 15, 2025. Full details on what you will need before contacting the Winter Fuel Payment Centre can be found on here.
Powys County Times
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Letter: Prime Minister has misled voters since his election
All politicians stretch the truth, but few do it with the frequency and shamelessness of Keir Starmer. He came to power promising 'honesty and integrity', a pledge that may turn out to be his most misleading of all. From the moment he ran for Labour leader, Starmer misled the public. He pledged to uphold Jeremy Corbyn's policies, abolishing tuition fees, lifting the two-child benefit cap, and nationalising key services. All were swiftly abandoned once he secured the leadership. It seems this has worked for him, so he's made it a habit. During the election campaign, Starmer gave the impression that Winter Fuel Payments and a cap on social care costs would be safe. Both have now been dropped. He said taxes wouldn't rise for working people, yet his Budget hits them through higher prices and lower wages, thanks to a £25 billion national insurance hike. He promised swift compensation for 1950s-born Waspi women. That too has vanished. Farmers were told they'd get certainty, instead, they've been hit with new inheritance taxes. Even his touted EU deal lacks detail, with vague claims and no transparency about what the UK is giving up, including 12 more years of access to British fishing waters. As the Institute for Fiscal Studies noted, the £22 billion black hole in Labour's Budget 'was obvious to anyone who dared to look.' But Starmer and his Chancellor pretended not to see it. Voters aren't fooled. When leaders routinely tell us things we know aren't true, and do so with utter confidence, it's not just dishonest, it's corrosive. Britain deserves better than this calculated deceit. Roman Jones
