Scam warning over DWP payment to pensioners - two million at risk

A new winter fuel payment means-testing scheme is a scammer's dream come true, campaigners have warned. Chancellor Rachel Reeves introduced the complex system after she was forced to scrap her original plan to remove winter fuel payments from 10 million pensioners. Under the new system, the DWP sent payments of up to £300 to all pensioner households last winter - but the Government will now take the money back from two million people with incomes above £35,000.

It means confusion and anxiety for older people who are already most likely to be targeted by scammers, according to campaign group Later Life Ambitions. Spokesperson Alan Lees said: "This is becoming a never-ending headache for older people. Instead of clarity, we've got a situation where people are once again being asked to get to grips with something new."

He added: "This time, it's the prospect of paying money back through the tax system. That kind of uncertainty is exactly what scammers look for.

If people don't feel confident about what's happening, they're far more likely to be targeted and caught out."

People who are not confident using computers or the internet are particularly at risk, he said. "Much of the HMRC guidance relies on people going online to check what they owe or how the system works, but not everyone is able to do that easily.

"That leaves some older people at a disadvantage, increasing the risk of confusion and, in the worst cases, leaving them more exposed to fraud."

The warning comes as HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has urged pensioners to remain alert to scams linked to the recovery process, following more than 25,000 fraud referrals over the past year.

For most people, the payment will be recovered through a change in their tax code now that the new financial year has begun, meaning they do not need to take any action. The payment should also be added automatically to forms used by people who pay tax through self-assessment - but they are being told to check the document and add it manually if need be.

Myrtle Lloyd, Chief Customer Officer at HM Revenue and Customs, said: "Criminals are great pretenders and often use fake letters, emails, calls and texts to impersonate HMRC and trick people into giving them money.

"I'd encourage anyone who's unsure to use our online tool at GOV.UK to check whether and how their payment will be recovered - there's no need to call us."

Labour's initial plans to scrap winter fuel payments for all but the very poorest pensioners was abandoned after an Express campaign and outcry from charities and MPs.

Campaigners Independent Age warn that six out of ten people aged over 65 have been the target of fraud or a scam.

On average, older people who have been scammed have lost nearly £4,000 each, a survey by Independent Age found. It warned that 31% of victims experienced negative impacts on their mental health.