Deadline to claim up to £300 off energy bills for pensioners ends today

Qualifying Brits over retirement age should have been paid up to £300 from the Government to help with energy costs, but if you think you’ve been missed off the list you have to claim today

Pensioner households have until midnight tonight to claim up to £300 off their energy bills under the Winter Fuel Payment scheme.

This benefit offers between £100 and £300 to help Britons pay for their heating bills during the coldest months of the year.

The payments are meant to be made automatically between November and December, but if you think you are eligible you can also make a claim for the cash.

However, the deadline is today, March 31.

To be eligible, you must be born on or before September 26, 1955 and have lived in the UK for at least one day between September 20 and 26, 2021.

To get the cash you also need to receive the state pension or another social security benefit that is not Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit.

How much you get depends on your age and personal situation.

For those born between September 27, 1941 and September 26, 1955:

• You get £200 if you live alone, or if no-one else you live with qualifies for Winter Fuel Payment
• You get £100 if you live with someone who does qualify
• You get £100 if you live in a care home and do not get the benefits listed above

For people born on or before September 26, 1941, how much you get depends on:

• You get £300 if you live alone, or if no-one else you live with qualifies for Winter Fuel Payment
• You get £200 if you live with someone under the age of 80 who does qualify
• You get £150 if you live with someone over 80 who qualifies
• You get £150 if you live in a care home and do not get the above benefits.

How to claim Winter Fuel Payment

You are eligible to make a claim if you:

• You do not receive a state pension or other benefits
• You only receive Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Child Benefit or council tax reduction
• You receive benefits or a state pension but live in Switzerland or a country in the EEA

You can make a claim over the phone by calling 0800 731 0160.

You will need your National Insurance number, bank details and marriage details, if you have been wedded.

Call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160, any time between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday.

You can also make a claim by post by downloading, filling in and sending off this form .

Energy bills are due to rise for millions of Brits this year because of a price cap rising at midnight tonight.

The average home on a default tariff will pay 54% more for energy this year, while the UK is already in the middle of a cost of living crisis.

The reason for the climbing price of energy is a squeeze on gas prices around the world, caused by the Covid pandemic.

Soaring prices of wholesale gas – which have quadrupled in the last year – mean suppliers are passing on the cost on to customers.

Since the beginning of 2021, around 30 energy companies have also gone bust under the weight of the crisis, leaving over two million customers moved over to another provider.

We’ve got a full list of all the energy firms that have gone under here.