Help the Aged has been monitoring payments

When the social security minister made an announcement about payments last year, many men thought a cheque would soon be in the post.

The money that many expected included backdated payments from when the benefit was introduced. And while many men have had a long wait, others have not even made a claim.

The winter fuel payment was introduced in the winter of 1997-98, when it was worth just �20 per pensioner household, it stayed at �20 the following year, but rose to �100 last winter.

In the current year, it was supposed to rise to �150, but the chancellor increased that to �200 in November.

Christmas deadline

Help the Aged has been monitoring payments of this year's money - and it has found that many pensioners have been paid later than they expected.

When the chancellor announced the increase in the winter fuel payment, he said cheques would begin to be sent out within days.

But many people may not receive theirs until Christmas.

And that is partly because the benefit is worked out for each household rather than per pensioner.

Help the Aged says that anyone who has made a claim for winter fuel payment or who is on state pension or other benefits should be getting their money by Christmas.

But it says that men between 60 and 65 years of age, who are not receiving social security benefits, should contact the DSS to see if they can make a claim.