THOUSANDS of dead pensioners have been sent winter fuel payment letters, leaving grieving families “horrified”.

The winter fuel payment was previously available to everyone aged 66 and above, the current State Pension age.

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But in July the Government announced the payment would become means-tested meaning only those on certain benefits are eligible.

This includes those on income support, tax credits, Universal Credit, and largely Pension Credit.

This means that around 10million pensioners will no longer get the cash, which can be worth up to £300.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is now writing to 13.5million pensioners to alert them to the changes and also to let them know if they might be eligible for pension credit.

However, it’s understood that some letters are being sent to pensioners who have died – despite grieving families having told the DWP about their deaths already.

This is what happened to one woman, who then took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to voice her frustration.

Frances Coppola, a writer and economist, reported that she had received a letter about changes to the winter fuel payment from the DWP intended for her partner.

But she had already informed the government that he had died on September 19.

Ms Coppola said the letter was advising her partner that he could apply for pension credit to be backdated by up to three months – making him eligible for the cash payment.

Writing on X she said: “My partner’s state pension has already been stopped. I did not understand why they were writing to him about WFP, since clearly they knew he was dead.”

Ms Coppola then complained to the DWP about the letter and was told that letters were being sent out to all “who had ever made a claim” for the WFP – alive or not.

“So thousands of bereaved spouses, partners and relatives are receiving these letters,” she Tweeted.

This was to ensure as many people as possible find out about the changes to WFP, Ms Coppola was told.

She added: “DWP is ignoring official notifications of death and literally spamming the relatives of deceased WFP claimants. I am horrified.”

According to the DWP a representative of the deceased can call or email the department to report the death of a customer.

Once that’s happened, the department will then work with them, following what’s called a death arrears process.

This involves contacting the representative to gather information or confirm details to make sure the department holds the correct information to make a death arrears payment.

A DWP spokesperson said: “We are looking into what happened in this case and apologise for any distress caused.

“More broadly we are committed to ensuring pensioners are aware of the changes to the winter fuel payment and the wider support that is available to them.

“We are issuing letters to around 13.5 million pensioners and our drive to boost take up of Pension Credit has seen a 152% increase in claims, with other pensioners are also benefiting from the Warm Homes Discount and our extension of the Household Support Fund to help with their energy bills.”

The Sun’s Winter Fuel S.O.S Campaign

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THE Sun’s Winter Fuel SOS Campaign is here to support households during these challenging times.

Due to government cutbacks, ten million pensioners are set to lose the £300 Winter Fuel Payment.

Since opening our phone lines to thousands of pensioners in October, we remain dedicated to providing tips and advice on how to stretch your finances further.

That’s why we have partnered with the poverty charity Turn2Us to launch a free benefits checker, helping you ensure that you are claiming all the benefits to which you are entitled.

Don’t miss our latest Sun Money coverage, which includes essential information on key deadlines, applying for support, and everything you need to know about Pension Credit.

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If you have a story to share or wish to get in touch with our team, please email us at money-sm@news.co.uk.

Tom Selby, director of public policy at investment firm AJ Bell told The Sun that this “blanket approach” risks causing even more grief.

He said: “While the DWP’s desperation to boost take-up of the WFP among those who are eligible is understandable, taking a blanket approach risks creating extra admin stress for people at what will inevitably already be a really difficult time.

“If the government has the correct information about people, including whether or not they are still alive and likely to be entitled to the payment, then it should be using that information to make sure things like this don’t happen.”

“The response from the individual at DWP in this case, not to mention the convoluted process the individual had to go through, is particularly unforgivable and falls well below the standards most people would expect.”

Tom added that this isn’t the first time the DWP’s admin systems have been found wanting and “they need to get their house in order as a matter of urgency”.

What is the winter fuel payment and who is eligible?

The winter fuel payment is issued to state pensioners on certain benefits to help cover the cost of hiked-up energy bills over the colder months.

This is because households tend to use more energy for heating as temperatures drop.

The payment, which is made in November or December, is automatic meaning you don’t need to apply.

Those on Universal Credit with a joint claim where one member was over the state pension age previously had to apply to get the payment.

To automatically qualify this year, you need to be of state pension age and in receipt of one of the following benefits:

• 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 an active claim for these benefits during the “qualifying week” which is from September 16 to 22 this year.

You only need to apply this year if:

• you moved to an eligible country before January 1, 2021
• you were born before September 23, 1958
• you have a genuine and sufficient link to the UK – this can include having lived or worked in the UK and having family in the UK

Households can claim by phone from October 28 via the number 0800 731 0160.

They have until March 31, 2025 to do this.

Or to claim by post, you’ll need to fill in the winter fuel payment claim form and post it to the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.

This is available at www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/how-to-claim.

What energy bill help is available?

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There’s a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you’re struggling to get by.

If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.

This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.

If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.

Several energy firms have grant schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.

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But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.

For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.

British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.

You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.

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EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.

Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).

The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill, and some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.

Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.

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More energy help for pensioners

In response to the government’s slash to the winter fuel payments, Octopus Energy has launched a scheme offering discretionary credit of between £50 and £200 to pensioners.

British Gas has also set aside over £140 million this winter for its Individual and Families Support Fund.

And Scottish Power‘s Hardship Fund has handed out more than £60 million to its struggling customers.

To find out what you can get, check the offers from your own supplier first by going to their website or asking someone on the phone.

Most schemes are exclusive to customers, but the British Gas Individual and Families fund is available to everyone if your own supplier can’t help.

Help can also be accessed from your local council via the Household Support Fund, which has renewed a fresh pot of £421million for vulnerable households.

To find out if you are eligible, go to your council’s website and read over the conditions of the scheme.

If you’re just looking for simple ways to reduce your bill this winter, each of these supplier schemes, as well as the Household Support Fund also offer free electric blankets as part of their deal.

For example, Octopus has said they will distribute 20,000 electric blankets from Dreamland to its most vulnerable customers, keeping them warm for “as little as 3p an hour”.

The “heat yourself not your home” approach is trending fast, with retailers such as B&M introducing ranges of affordable self-heating appliances.

However, it is important to note that the elderly should not avoid turning the heating on if they are cold – for energy help contact your provider or local council, or read our article here.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

Good morning and welcome to your Morning Briefing for Thursday 24 October 2024. To get this in your inbox every morning click here.

Value of ‘lost’ pension pots hits £31bn

The total value of ‘lost’ pension pots is now estimated to be £31.1bn, new data published by the Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) reveals.

This has risen by £4.5bn, from £26.6bn in 2022.

Almost 3.3 million pension pots are now considered lost, containing an average sum of £9,470.

Diary of an aspiring adviser

In this ‘Diary of an aspiring adviser’ column, Almond Financial paraplanner Ryan Sharpe recalls feeling imposter syndrome in their former career as a scientist when someone at an international conference said they though their work was pointless.

“I’m grateful my experience since changing to the advice profession has been one of night and day,” said Sharpe.

“Whenever I have interacted with people in the wider industry, whether in a random email, at a conference or picking their brain over a coffee, I have been met with overwhelmingly helpful, friendly responses.”

Wealthtime platform upgrade

Wealthtime has partnered with tech firm Wipro and software provider GBST on its platform technology upgrade.

The partnership will see the Wealthtime and Wealthtime Classic platforms brought together under one brand on a significantly enhanced platform.

Wipro and GBST will employ a joint co-delivery model to provide end-to-end platform services.

Quote Of The Day

Given the severity of the pandemic, we were always likely to see an improvement in life expectancy from the darkest days of 2020

– Stephen Lowe, group communications director at Just Group, comments on figures published by ONS reveal a bounce back in life expectancy in 2021-23.

In Other News

The Income Protection Task Force (IPTF) has announced its plans for 2025.

Next year will see the organisation restructure including the introduction of a Board to provide professional oversight.

Andrew Wibberley will step down as co-chair after four years, with Jo Miller becoming managing director and board chair, and Vicky Churcher becoming executive director and vice chair.

Commenting on his departure, Wibberley said: “In the last four years the shift from people working on IP because they felt they ought to, to people suffering FOMO if they’re not involved, has been great to see. Most importantly, this is translating into more people protecting their incomes, which is a fantastic thing.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the results of the next exciting things coming out of the IPTF and those sales continuing to grow.”

The plans outlined will also see the continuation of some of the organisation’s key work, including 7Advisers, IPAW, workstream meetings and the return of the Let’s Talk IP podcast.

Additionally, the group outlined plans for several projects for the year ahead focused on the organisation’s key objectives: education, collaboration and insight.

The news follows a busy year for IPTF so far, which has seen the continuation of the 7Advisers project, a celebration of the 7Families ten-year anniversary, the launching of the Let’s Talk IP podcast and profile of an income protection customer and the hosting of another Income Protection Action Week.

Reeves to announce major change to fiscal rules releasing £50bn for spending (The Guardian)

Nvidia CEO targets more India growth through fresh partnerships (Bloomberg)

Barclays third-quarter profit beats forecasts with 18% rise (Reuters)

Did You See?

M&G has launched its first sustainable corporate bond strategy in collaboration with responsAbility, the Swiss-based asset manager.

The M&G (Lux) responsAbility Sustainable Solutions Bond Fund has been designed following active engagement with institutional and wholesale investors seeking sustainable active fixed-income strategies.

The fund, which is classified as Article 9 under the EU’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, will leverage M&G’s deep credit expertise and responsAbility’s long-standing track record on impact and sustainable investing.

It will be co-managed by Mario Eisenegger and Ben Lord, who are long-standing members of M&G’s €161bn global fixed-income investment division.

The total value of ‘lost’ pension pots is now estimated to be £31.1bn, new data published by the Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) reveals.

This has risen by £4.5bn, from £26.6bn in 2022.

Almost 3.3 million pension pots are now considered lost, containing an average sum of £9,470.

This rises to £13,620 among people aged 55 to 75.

PPI said a combination of people switching jobs and automatic enrolment into workplace pensions is behind the increasing number of lost pensions.

Earlier this week pensions minister Emma Reynolds repeated the government’s commitment to developing Pension Dashboards, which aims to make it easier for savers to locate old pots and combine pensions.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is currently working on plans to automatically consolidate small pension pots of less than £1,000.

Rachel Vahey, head of public policy at AJ Bell, said: “Automatic enrolment is often held to be one of the most successful public policies of our time.

“It is credited with enrolling over 11 million people into a workplace pension since 2012, creating many new pension savers.

“But with people switching jobs regularly – around 11 times over the course of a lifetime according to some estimates – it’s easy to see how some people end up losing track of the pension pots they have built up.

She said that lost pension wealth hitting £31.1bn, means “millions of people could be in danger of facing an incomplete picture when it comes to their long-term financial planning.”

“Knowing how much they have saved in a pension, and where that money is invested, is one of the most important steps savers can take to maintain a level of control over their future retirement,” she added.

“Only by having this overall picture can pension savers work out how close they are to achieving their financial goals, and what action they may need to take to get their desired income and standard of living in later life.

“The government is on the road to helping people achieve this. Pension Dashboards, once launched, will allow savers to see all their pensions in one place online, reuniting them with their lost pension wealth.

“But while we wait eagerly for dashboards to launch, there are important steps people can take today to track down their lost pensions and boost the overall value of their pension savings.”

CLEANING your home is a dreaded chore most of us hate to tackle.

But you could be spending hundreds of pounds more than necessary to get your pad sparkling, according to one expert.

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In the lead-up to the festive season and the ongoing high cost of living, every penny counts.

With a few simple tidying and cleaning tricks, you can make some big savings sprucing up your living space, according to specialist cleaning and home organisation expert, Heidi Phillips.

She owns cleaning firm Tergo Specialist Cleaning. You can find her on Instagram @tergospecialistcleaning.

Here she shares her top tips…

USE OWN-BRAND – £85 a year

Own-brand cleaning and laundry products are a snip of the price of branded items and usually do the job just as good.

Consumer brand Which? found that the most expensive laundry detergents can cost 53p a wash while switching to a own-label powder is just 12p a wash.

Using your machine four times a week would save £85 at these prices and even more if you us your machine daily.

And it’s not just laundry, Heidi says: “You can save loads of money by ditching the big-name cleaning brands and using a supermarket’s own-brand range.

“I really like Sainsbury’s own-label, it works really well and smells divine.”

DITCH DISPOSABLE WIPES – £156

A branded pack of antibacterial wipes comes in at around £3 – if you go through a pack each week that amounts to a whopping £156.

However, they are totally unnecessary.

Heidi says: “Disposable wipes are very expensive and you can just as easily spray a cloth with a bit of anti-bac and it will do the same job.”

Sainsbury’s antibacterial spray is 85p and you can just rinse a cloth and spray.

BAN DISPOSABLE SPONGES – £58

You can also get rid of disposable sponges for wiping and light cleaning.

A pack of two comes in at £2.25 meaning if you used one each week, you’d end up spending around £58 in a year.

Even reusable microfibre clothes are another expense that you can cut out. A pack of five is £4 from B&Q.

Heidi says: “You can save money on cloths by cutting up old clothes that are heading for the bin. T-shirts work really well.”

AVOID SPECIALISED PRODUCTS – £48

You can get specialist cleaning products for just about any task but these tend to be expensive.

For example, some of the branded kitchen or bathroom-specific cleaners are £4 a pop – buying just one of those each month amounts to £48 a year.

And there’s a cheap alternative that we all have sitting at home already.

Heidi says: “Much of the time you don’t need specialised products.

“Washing-up liquid is absolutely amazing for getting rid of grime and you can follow up with a couple of sprays of anti-bacterial to make sure you’re getting rid of any germs too.”

Own-brand washing-up liquid is under a £1 at most supermarkets.

There is also another way to avoid have to use specialised products for limescale or mould, which again can be pricey.

Heidi says that simply cleaning more regularly will mean you’re less likely to get build-up which requires expensive specialised products, and possibly more specialist tools.

She added: “For example, if you clean the bathroom every week you can easily take care of a small bit of mould but if you let it go on, you’ll start to need black mould cleaner.“

CLEAN YOUR DRYER – £25

Consumer group Which? tested a range of tumble dryers and found that after 20 loads of washing, some used 50% more energy on the last load compared to the first.

This was simply because of the filter getting blocked with lint and dust reducing the machine’s efficiency.

The group found the average achine costs £50 a year to run but this could be £25 higher if the energy use increases by half.

Simply cleaning out the filter keeps your machine running to its best without adding any extra costs to your bills.

BUDDING buyers looking to get on the housing ladder will be keen to learn of a lovely village where three-bed homes are £70,000 cheaper than the UK average.

As house prices continue to climb the dream of homeownership is beginning to vanish for many.

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Today, first-time buyers will also fork out over a quarter of a million pounds.

New figures by Zoopla, published this month showed the average price of a home is £267,100.

This rises to £451,600 for detached houses.

But if you are willing to be flexible you may be able to find your dream home at a bargain price.

There are still places in the UK where homes are below the national average and they are commutable to major cities.

Take Crosby for example, it is an idyllic coastal town in Sefton, which boasts an award-winning park and stunning beaches.

Three and four-bed homes here are on average £195,100 making them £70,000 below the national average.

Better yet, it is just a 25-minute car drive to Liverpool City.

Let’s take a look at the cheapest houses up for grabs in this area.

Four-bed semi-detached home – £195,000

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This four-bed semi is on the market for £195,000 on Zoopla.

It comes with four bedrooms, two bathrooms and two reception rooms.

The property is just a three-minute walk to a number of primary schools and nurseries.

Additionally, it is just a six-minute drive to Waterloo Merseyside, where you can reach Liverpool City in just 26 minutes via train.

You might be able to get a mortgage to buy this house with a 10% deposit of £19,500.

If you got accepted for a 25-year loan with 5% interest, your monthly payments would work out as £1,025.

Three-bed terrace – £185,000

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You can buy this family home in Sefton for £185,000.

It features a large kitchen and dining area alongside three bedrooms and one bath.

Agents at Zoopla said the home is within walking distance of local shops, schools, and transport links.

It is a four-minute drive to Waterloo Merseyside or just under a 10-minute drive to Blundellsands & Crosby train station.

This local transport hub can take you to the city centre in just 24 minutes.

You might be able to get a mortgage to buy this house with a 10% deposit of £18,500.

If you got accepted for a 25-year loan with 5% interest, your monthly payments would work out as £973.

Three bed semi-detached – £220,000

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This property is slightly more expensive than the previous two homes, but still £40,000 less than the UK average.

It comes with three bedrooms and a large conservatory and garden area.

A seven-minute car journey will take you to Blundellsands & Crosby train station, making it ideal for commuters.

You might be able to get a mortgage to buy this house with a 10% deposit of £22,000.

If you got accepted for a 25-year loan with 5% interest, your monthly payments would work out as £1,157

Three-bed semi-detached house -£215,000

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This three-bed and one-bath home would be ideal for anyone looking for a central location in Crosby.

It is a 16-minute walk to Blundellsands & Crosby train station or if you prefer to drive it will take you just three minutes.

The property is bright and has lots of natural light.

If you were looking for a home which you could move into without pouring hundreds into renovations then this could be it.

You might be able to get a mortgage to buy this house with a 10% deposit of £21,500.

If you got accepted for a 25-year loan with 5% interest, your monthly payments would work out as £1,131.

How to save for your first home

HAVE you ever wondered how first-time buyers manage to go from savers to homeowners?

Getting a foot on the property ladder might seem like a daunting task, but The Sun’s My First Home feature allows you to find out exactly what it takes to finally get the keys to your own place.

Leanne Gem managed to buy her £456,000 four-bed house with an “underrated scheme”.

Karis Jacobs and her husband George used the 50/50 method to buy their first home just two years after losing their jobs.

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Parents Chae and Cem used a “DIY Help to Buy scheme” to buy their £466,000 first home.

Anupam and his wife Shrabanti lost £6,000 free cash when buying their first home – here’s how you can avoid it.

AS the cost of living continues to rise, more UK households are looking for easy ways to earn extra cash.

Plenty of Brits are turning to the online survey platform Ipsos iSay to earn cash rewards in exchange for their opinions on a variety of topics.

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Join Ipsos iSay for FREE

With over 33,000 five-star Trustpilot ratings, the lesser-known survey platform encourages users to share their opinions on different topics, thus earning points that can be converted to cash or other rewards.

So if you’re hoping to earn extra cash in the run-up to Christmas without leaving the house, you should think about joining Ipsos iSay.

It’s simple to get started, all you have to do is sign up for a free membership and answer a few questions about yourself first to tailor the available questionnaires to your preferences.

Once you’re signed up, you’ll start receiving survey invitations tailored to your interests, although you may not qualify for all available surveys.

With rewards like cash, gift cards and even charitable donations, it’s no wonder more people are turning to Ipsos iSay to supplement their income.

Dan from Surrey is an Ipsos iSay member who earns £20 a month taking surveys on the platform.

He uses the cash to cover some of his monthly grocery expenses and keep his phone topped up with data.

Other fans of the platform have also revealed how they are using the site to earn extra money and what they are spending it on.

One user said in a five-star review: “Great survey site with generally interesting surveys.

“The points accrue very quickly and it’s easy to get to the minimum level of points to exchange for gift cards.”

Another user commented: “I’ve been doing surveys for close to two years now. Most surveys are relatively short (less than 10 minutes).

“I have probably made in excess of £500 in that time (I choose to be paid by Amazon voucher).

“Every now and then there will be a product test too. I’ve had cleaning products, laundry detergent and, brilliantly, I once even had beers to test!”

What is Ipsos iSay?

Ipsos iSay is an online survey platform operated by global research company Ipsos.

By signing up for a membership, users can share their opinions on topics ranging from societal issues to goods and services.

In return for completing surveys on the platform, participants will earn points that can be redeemed for rewards like cash, gift cards or prizes.

It’s completely free to join as a member, requiring just a few questions about yourself to get started.

Once signed up, you’ll have the opportunity to influence brands and services while getting compensated for your insights.

Ipsos iSay has been praised for its easy-to-use interface and diverse range of survey topics.

How do you earn and redeem rewards?

Ipsos iSay will contact you by email, up to once a day, with available surveys.

Occasionally, you’ll also receive updates and news a few times a month.

Completing surveys earns points that can be redeemed for cash, gift cards and other prizes – the more surveys you complete the more points you’ll earn.

It’s then even more simple to determine how you’d like to receive your reward.

You have the option to cash out your points via PayPal, redeem them for gift cards, or use them towards prizes.

Although Ipsos iSay doesn’t offer huge payouts for surveys, participants are consistently rewarded with points that can quickly add up to exciting rewards.