Winter fuel payments, paid from November, will include a £300 cost of living top-up to help Suffolk people pay heating bills

Hundreds of pounds in extra help is being added to winter fuel allowances from November to help people pay their heating bills.

The winter fuel payment, normally worth between £100 and £300, is money sent out towards the end of every year to older people, to help them meet the costs of gas and electricity during the colder months.

But with energy costs at a record high, despite the Government's temporary freeze on prices, more money is being sent to keep people afloat from tomorrow (Tuesday).

The Government is giving all those getting a winter fuel allowance an extra £300 when it begins making this year's payments from November 1, because of the current cost-of-living crisis.

While winter heating bills are always traditionally more expensive than summer ones, older people also face increased costs because they are often at home a lot more which pushes up their energy usage.

Supplementing this year's annual allowance with extra cash is a move that will take some winter fuel payments to £600 – for this year only – and letters explaining how much people are going to receive are on their way out, says the DWP.

While everyone who is entitled to the winter fuel payment – and the extra cash – will be paid by early January, it is expected that the vast majority of payments will begin landing in people's bank accounts in November and December, ahead of Christmas.

Winter fuel payments explained

If you were born on or before September 25, 1956, you could get money from the Government help you pay your heating bills.

You will get your winter fuel payment automatically, without the need to claim, if you're eligible and either get the state pension or some other social security benefit. It is only those who don't get either payment, or live abroad, who may need to start their own claim here and should do so before the end of March next year.

The majority of winter fuel payments are paid-out in November or December – but all those eligible to receive the extra cash should have been sent it by January 13 next year, says the Government.

Alongside winter fuel payments for pensioners, every household is also being given an extra £400 through the Energy Bills Support Scheme to help cover the cost of gas and electric this winter.

The money – coming in six monthly instalments between October and March – doesn't need to be paid back and will be sent to every customer with a domestic energy contract with a UK supplier.