Pension Age Fuel Support Payment (NI)

A one-off Pension Age Fuel Support Payment has been put in place for pensioners who were no longer eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment in 2024/2025.

The payment will be paid automatically from 21 March 2025.

You do not need to apply for a Pension Age Fuel Support Payment if you are eligible. You’ll be paid automatically in the same way you previously got your Winter Fuel Payment or currently get other benefits

Eligibility for the payment

You may be eligible for the Pension Age Fuel Support Payment if:

you were born on or before 22 September 1958

and

you are normally resident in Northern Ireland

and

you did not get a Winter Fuel Payment 2024.

Eligibility for the Payment is also determined upon your circumstances during a qualifying week of 16 September to 22 September 2024.

Not eligible for the payment

You will not be eligible if you:

were born after the 22 September 1958

got a Winter Fuel Payment 2024

• were in prison throughout the qualifying week.

If you live in a care home

If you were living in a care home throughout the qualifying week, you will be eligible if you meet the criteria detailed above.

How much you will get and when

The Department for Communities will assess your eligibility in the qualifying week and send you a letter advising how much you will get.

The payment will be paid automatically from 21 March 2025.

Scams about Fuel Payments

If you get a suspicious email or text from GOV.UK, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or the Department for Communities asking for bank details, you should report it to Action Fraud. You should not respond or click on any links.

DWP or the Department for Communities will not ask for bank details by text or email or send a link to click into within a text or email.

Find out more about scams in general at ScamwiseNI.

More help

Use the Pension Credit online calculator to check your entitlement
Make a claim for Pension Credit online or by telephoning the Northern Ireland Pension Centre’s, Pension Credit Application Line on 0808 100 6165
Find out more about support available to assist with the Cost of Living
contact the Make the Call service to make sure you're getting all the benefits, services and supports you're entitled to
the Finance Support Service can give support to people who need short-term financial help

Contacting 08 and 03 numbers

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