AS the colder weather arrives many of us will be worrying about the cost of reaching for the heating.

But help is at hand for millions of people who are due the winter fuel allowance.

The annual payment is usually worth up to £300, but there is a higher amount in 2023/24 to help in the cost of living crisis.

The free cash was announced by the government in May as part of a raft of supportive measures for vulnerable households.

Pensioners who normally get the winter fuel payment qualify for the help.

We explain who can get the help, which can depend on your circumstances including age and income.

Here’s everything you need to know about the winter fuel payment, formerly known as the winter fuel allowance.

What is the winter fuel payment?

The winter fuel payment is an annual tax-free benefit designed to help with heating costs through the colder months.

Most people who are eligible get it automatically like if you receive the state pension or benefits.

However, you won’t necessarily qualify just because you claim housing benefit, council tax reduction, child benefit or Universal Credit.

If you do meet the criteria but don’t automatically get the winter fuel payment, you will have to apply on the government’s website.

The deadline for claiming the winter fuel payment for this winter, 2023 to 2024, is March 31, 2024.

You’ll qualify for a winter fuel payment if both of the following apply:

• you were born on or before September 25, 1957
• you lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of September 18 to 24, 2023 in what is known as 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 EEA country
• you have a “genuine and sufficient” link with the UK social security system, such as having lived or worked in the UK and having a family in the UK

But there are exclusions – you can’t get the payment if you live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain.

This is because the average winter temperature is higher than the warmest region of the UK.

How much can I get?

Because of the £300 cost of living payment top up, what you can get this year has changed.

For example, if you were born on or before September 25, 1943 and live alone – or with people who are not eligible for the payment – you can claim £600.

If you were born between September 25, 1943 and September 24, 1957 and you live alone you receive £500.

There are more details on exactly who earns what amount on the government website.

Your payment may also be different if you or your partner receives one of the following benefits:

• pension credit
• income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA)
• income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
• income support

The good news is that any money you get will not affect your other benefits.

All benefits, pensions and allowances are paid into an account, such as a bank account.

When will I get the payment?

Automatic payments are usually made between November and December, and you should have received yours by January 26, 2024 at the latest.

If you haven’t got your payment by then, you need to call the office that pays your benefits.

Those details can be found in the letters they have sent you.

And if you’re found to be ineligible for the winter fuel payment but want to challenge that decision, there’s a government form for that, too.

If you’re eligible, make sure you apply for support funding like the Cold Weather Payments and the Warm Home Discount.

Plus, you might be eligible for help via the Household Support Fund.