State pensioners across the UK have just weeks left to claim their Winter Fuel Payment from the (DWP).

is worth up to £300 and provides vital support to pensioner households struggling to afford their .

The benefit, which the , was previously available to every one of age and above, but changes introduced by last year have now limited who is entitled to the payment.

Under the new rules, you must have been born before September 23, 1958, live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, and be claiming at least one of the following benefits to be eligible:

• Pension Credit

• Universal Credit

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)

• Income Support

• Child Tax Credit

• Working Tax Credit

You must have claimed one of these benefits during the qualifying week of September 16 to September 22, 2024, to qualify for the 2024 to 2025 winter payment.

If you meet all of the above criteria, you should have received a letter from the last year telling you how much money you will get. The amount is based on when you were born and your circumstances in the qualifying week.

The DWP says you'll get either £200 if you were born between September 23, 1944 and September 22, 1958, or £300 if you were born before September 23, 1944. If you live with someone and you and your partner jointly claim any of the benefits, only one of you will get a Winter Fuel Payment of either £200 or £300.

Payments are issued automatically and should have been paid into your bank account by January 29, 2025. Pensioners are advised to check for a six-digit code on their bank statement to ensure they have received their payment, which will appear as your National Insurance number followed by the code "DWP WFP".

If you didn't receive a letter, or the money hasn't been paid into your account by January 29, 2025, you should contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0191 218 7777.

Pensioners still waiting for a Pension Credit decision will get the payment automatically once your claim is approved. If you've applied for Pension Credit but haven't received a decision yet, you don't need to contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.

However, pensioners should be aware that the deadline to claim for winter 2024 to 2025 is March 31, 2025, which is now just a matter of weeks away, so you'll need to act fast to ensure you don't miss out.

The DWP says: "You can claim Winter Fuel Payment by post - from 30 September 2024, or by phone - from 28 October 2024. The deadline for you to make a claim for winter 2024 to 2025 is 31 March 2025.

"When you make a claim, you'll need to provide evidence of the means-tested benefit you are getting from the country you live in."