UK fuel allowance: are you eligible?

BRITISH citizens who were living in the UK when they reached the age of 60 may be eligible for UK winter fuel payments - even though they now live in France.

This winter if you live alone or are the only person in your household aged over 60 you will get £250 if you are aged 60 – 79 or £400 if you are older than this.

If you live with at least one other person of qualifying age you each get £125 if you are both 60 – 79, £200 each if you and at least one other person is 80 or over, or £275 for you and £125 each of the others where you are the only person aged 80 or more.

The payments are made from November onwards and the deadline for claims for this winter is March 30, 2011.

If you have previously claimed - or become eligible for the allowance (by being aged 60 or above and living in the UK during the annual qualifying period - this year September 20-26, 2010) - then you are eligible for this year’s payment.

If you moved to France before January 1998, when the payments were introduced, you cannot claim.

Payments are made by post as a “payable order,” which the UK’s Winter Payments Helpline told us you can be pay into a French or British bank, or as a direct payment into either a French or British bank.

You have to fill in a form when you make your first claim but after that the payments will be made automatically (you should receive the payment by Christmas), provided you keep the authorities in Britain updated of any change of circumstances. The helpline is open Monday to Friday, 8.00 – 20.00 (UK time). Tel: 0044 191 218 7777.

For more info, see the DirectGov website.