Millions to get £300 cost of living payment direct to bank accounts from next week – check if you’re one of them

MILLIONS of pensioners are set to get a £300 boost to help with the soaring cost of living this winter.

The additional cash, which has been called the “pensioner cost of living payment”, will start being distributed from next month.

The help was first announced by new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak when he was Chancellor back in May, as part of the emergency support package for struggling households.

It is separate to the second portion of the £650 cost of living payment which is also starting to hit bank accounts from next month.

Those who qualify for the pensioner cost of living payment are households who receive the Winter Fuel Payment – which is worth between £100 and £300 – that people over state pension age get already.

This means that eight million pensioners are eligible for the extra cash and could receive up to £600

Below we explain what you need to know about the help and when it will land in your account.

Who is eligible for the additional £300 this winter?

You’ll get the £300 help if you get the Winter Fuel Payment. You can get this benefit if:

• You were born on or before September 25, 1956
• You lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of 19 to 25 September 2022 – this is called the ‘qualifying week’

If you did not live in the UK during the qualifying week, you might still get the payment if both the following apply:

• You live in Switzerland or a European Economic Area (EEA) country
• You have a genuine and sufficient link to the UK – this can include having lived or worked in the UK, and having family in the UK

You cannot get the payment if you live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain because the average winter temperature is higher than the warmest region of the UK.

You won’t get the payment if you are in hospital for more then a year getting free treatment and in some other circumstances.

To find out more about who is eligible visit gov.uk.

Do I need to apply for the payment?

You generally do not need to claim Winter Fuel Payment – you’ll get it automatically if you’re eligible.

If you have not got a Winter Fuel Payment before, you only need to claim if any of the following apply:

• You do not get benefits or the State Pension
• The only benefit you get is Adult Disability Payment from the Scottish Government, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit
• You live in Switzerland or an EEA country

If you have got a Winter Fuel Payment before, you only need to claim if since your last payment you have either:

• Deferred your State Pension
• Moved to Switzerland or an EEA country

If you do need to claim you can do so by phone or by post.

When will I get the £300 payment?

The cash boost is set to be distributed with usual Winter Fuel Payments from next month.

Most payments get paid in November and December but if you have not received it by January 13 you can contact the Winter Fuel Payment centre.

How much will I get?

We’ve also added a breakdown of the Winter Fuel payment 2022-2023, which varies depending on your circumstances.

We’ve listed who will get what, according to the government.

Remember this includes your extra £300 boost.

• You qualify and live alone – £500 to £600
• You qualify alongside someone you live with who is under 80 and also qualifies – £250 to £350
• You qualify and live with someone over 80 who also qualifies – £250 to £300
• If either you or your partner also receive benefits – £500 to £600 (this amount is the same if someone you live with who isn’t your partner receives certain benefits)
• If you qualify but live in a care home and don’t get benefits – £250 to £300

The amount you’ll receive really depends on the date you were born, but you can easily check here for more details.

It comes as Universal Credit claimants will receive an extra cash bonus on top of the £650 cost of living payment that will also be landing in bank accounts from November.

In December, millions of people who claim UC and other benefits will be able to get their hands on an extra Christmas bonus cash boost – find out more here.