did not receive winter fuel allowance

jaggededge

Hello

We did not receive our winter fuel allowance for the year 2024/2025. Despite the fact that my husband is of pension age and I claim IR-ESA for both of us. Under the last government these winter fuel payments were automatically put into my bank account regular as clockwork early November, but not with this new government. They did not give us the winter fuel allowance as they are obviously making errors.

I was too scared to contact the DWP in case they started trying to make me migrate to UC. This I really dont want. Also, since my husband turned pension age and was told his ESA claim was going to stop and he no longer was entitled to ESA in his own right , I have been making a claim for the two of us. I still get the yearly tax code of 1270 but my husband no longer receives this tax code from the HMRC. Will my husband still be eligible for the state pension when I am forced off ESA and have to claim for my own state pension in 2 years time? Or does my husband have to make NI contributions since he no longer gets ESA in his own right and no longer gets the NI contributions paid for with ESA claim as I do?

Please can you advise?

Thanks

OverlyAnxious

Hi,

The criteria changed for WFP last year. I don't think your joint claim would make your husband eligible, despite being above pension age. I think he would have needed a qualifying benefit for himself.

Income related ESA is ending this year, so you will be migrated to Universal Credit before reaching state pension age. Again, that will be a joint claim as a mixed-age couple.

You can check the National Insurance contributions for both of you on the government website. You may also be eligible for Pension Credit when both above State Pension age.

jaggededge

Hello

Thanks for the response, although I have read on many sites including age uk see below that states that the main claimant will benefit automatically..

How to claim Winter Fuel Payment

If you or your partner claims Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance, the payment should go to the main claimant of the benefit automatically.

I hate the idea of migrating to UC, it really makes me feel sick. As I dont want to claim online and I only want to claim by paper form, and I dont even want to do this. I have always been contacted by letter from DWP and this is the way I ned to be contacted, instead of email, phone text etc as I suffer from stress related disorder and I cannot cope with this new stress.

Anyway, am not sure how to find NI contributions and was wondering if my husband needs to be paying them voluntarily due to no longer having an IR ESa claim in his own right?

Thanks

Kimi87

You can bypass the online UC account, an application can be made by phone, statements would be posted out and if you needed to contact them you can telephone.

Citizens Advice have a Help to Claim service.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/claiming/contact-us-about-universal-credit/

There is no paper form to apply for UC, that I know of.

OverlyAnxious

You can check National Insurance contributions here:

Check your National Insurance record - GOV.UK

Your husband may have already accumulated enough over previous years.

Regarding WFP, you are right and I stand corrected. As your husband is named on your ESA claim you should have received WFP. You can contact the DWP using their online form or by telephone to ask why you haven't received it this year. I understand if you aren't able or don't wish to do that though.

Winter Fuel Payment: Check if you need to claim - GOV.UK

WhatThe

(from Age UK website)

If you haven't received your payment by 29 January 2025, contact the Department for Work and Pensions or call the Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 0800 731 0160. 

jaggededge

Hello
I really appreciate your comments and suggestions.

Am glad to know that I can claim that awful UC by phone although I would prefer to fill out a paper form as with a paper form which have filled out in the past, where it says on the form phone number the CAB used to always write in or I would write in that space "in writing only" as that is the way I want to be contacted by letter in the post and not a phone call or text or email. We were until a couple of years ago both on contribution based ESA, and then without any reason given except that my husband was no longer entitled to claim ESA due to his being pension age, we were then moved to IR ESA, as we were advised by the CAB that my husband didnt need to claim a pension but that the DWP would give me extra ESA as an age related addition. I wish we were still on Contribution based ESA then we wouldnt need to migrate to UC. Even the name of it sounds sinister. What is the universe got to do with it anyway? It is an absurd name for this benefit.

Was wondering if there is any chance that my husband can claim his pension instead and I keep my carers allowance and Housing benefit then we wouldnt have to move to UC? Of course we would have less money, but this ominous UC claim is making me really stressed and anxious. THere is something so foreboding about it that eats at me.

I have not been sent the letter yet and every day I dread the post. I cant believe the present government dont have any new ideas and just stick to what the previous government started with this forced move to UC. Wasnt there a campaign against this move? Or are people so down trodden that they just put up with anything the government wants to throw at us?

Replies would be appreciated, but if not that is fine. As I have appreciated your comments.

OverlyAnxious

Universal Credit is 'universal' because it covers all of the older means tested benefits, in the same way the universe covers all of the stars and planets etc. The old benefits were all separate which caused more hassle and admin for both staff and claimants.

There was no suggestion of stopping UC, we're now coming to the end of the changeover period where the remaining old benefits will stop and everyone on them must have moved to UC instead. I understand you're anxious about the migration but it really isn't that bad in most cases. There are various services that can help with the migration and there are plenty of us on here with knowledge and experience that can help as well.

It isn't possible to just end your ESA claim unfortunately. You could only put in a change of circumstances if your health had improved to the extent that you were fit for work again. As you're aware, ESA has to be claimed as a couple when you live together, so your husband would not be able to claim his pension while you're still on ESA.

Martin Lewis is doing a TV program that includes pensions later today (8pm, ITV) so you might find something useful to your situation in that. I will be watching it myself.