Fight for your rights: “I’ve only been given half my winter fuel payment”
Moneywise columnist Hannah Nemeth helps a reader get what's owed to her
24th July 2020 04:21
by Hannah Nemeth from interactive investor
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Moneywise columnist Hannah Nemeth helps a reader get what's owed to her
Many pensioners rely on their winter fuel payment (WFP) to help them with their fuel bills through the cold winter months. To qualify for the 2019/20 winter, you need to have been born on or before 5 April 1954 and have lived in the UK for at least one day during the ‘qualifying’ week of 16-22 September 2019.
CW, who is 73, received a letter advising her of her winter fuel payment on 19 November 2019, but she immediately noticed that a mistake had been made.
She explains: “The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) were only paying me £100 instead of my usual £200 and said this was because another person was living with me who also received the allowance. This is untrue as I have lived alone since 2009.”
CW contacted her local benefits office four times and each time she was told it would be sorted out. However, by the time she contacted Moneywise on 18 January, she was getting really fed up.
“Today is two months since I got that letter and there is still no sign of my money. I would really appreciate your help with this as I’m getting nowhere by phone and I can’t find out who else to contact,” she wrote.
When I contacted the DWP, it said that its records showed that another eligible customer lived at the address, so a WFP of £100 was made.
It explained that WFP is paid per household, therefore if only one eligible customer lives in the household they will receive the full amount of WFP. If records show that more than one eligible customer lives in the household, then each customer would receive a shared WFP rate, which is £100 each (or £150 if 80 years of age and over).
A spokesperson for the DWP says: “Since your reader has advised the department that she lives alone, our records have been updated and a £100 top-up paid. The customer has been sent an apology.”
CW says: “I have been dealt with very poorly by the DWP and I am angry at being told it was all in hand and fixed. I don’t understand how this mistake was made in the first place, but I am so happy at the outcome.”
OUTCOME: £100 top-up paid
This article was originally published in our sister magazine Moneywise, which ceased publication in August 2020.
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