DWP confirms Winter Fuel Payment dates and exact amount pensioners can get
The Gov.uk website has been updated with eligibility criteria and how much people will receive based on their circumstances.
1
The up to £300 payment was axed for millions of pensioners last winter and only those on certain benefits qualified.
But this winter it will be paid to individuals with a taxable income over £35,000 following pubic outcry.
The U-turn means nine million pensioners will get a Winter Fuel Payment this year.
But there is still eligibility criteria to meet including your age and where you live.
Who is eligible?
You can get a Winter Fuel Payment if you were born before September 22, 1959, and live in England and Wales.
The amount you will receive is based on when you were born and your circumstances between September 15 and September 21 this year.
This is known as the "qualifying week".
If you live alone or no one you live with is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment you will get either:
£200, if you were born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959
£300, if you were born before 22 September 1945
If you live with someone else who's eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment and are not on benefits you will get a payment of:
Keir Starmer confirms huge winter fuel payment U-turn
£100, if you and the person you live with were both born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959
£100, if you were born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959 but the person you live with was born before 22 September 1945
£200, if you were born before 22 September 1945 but the person you live with was born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959
£150, if you and the person you live with were born before 22 September 1945
If you and your partner jointly claim one of the following benefits, you will receive a different amount: Pension Credit, Universal Credit, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Income Support.
If you are on one of these benefits, one of you will get a payment of either:
£200 if both of you were born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959
£300 if one or both of you were born before 22 September 1945
The payment will be made into the bank account your benefits are usually paid into.
If you get any of the same above benefits, but not as part of a joint claim, you'll get a payment of either:
£200 if you were born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959
£300 if you were born before 22 September 1945
However, in all the above cases, if your taxable income is more than £35,000, your Winter Fuel Payment will be taken back either through PAYE or through Self Assessment.
If you are living in a care home will get either:
£100, if you were born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959
£150, if you were born before 22 September 1945
Do I need to claim?
Most people eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment don't need to claim it and will receive it automatically.
You do not need to claim if you get any of the following benefits:
State Pension
Pension Credit
Universal Credit
Attendance Allowance
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Carer's Allowance
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Income Support
income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
awards from the War Pensions Scheme
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
Incapacity Benefit
Industrial Death Benefit
If you do not get any of these, you need to claim if either of the following apply:
you've not got the Winter Fuel Payment before
you've deferred your State Pension since your last Winter Fuel Payment
You can claim the payment by post from September 15, or by phone from October 13.
The ultimate deadline to claim for this winter is March 31, 2026.
More details on how to claim can be found via www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/how-to-claim.
Most Winter Fuel Payments are made in November or December.
If you are eligible, you should receive a letter in October or November telling you how much you're in line to get.
If you don't receive one by January 28, 2026, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data.
You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
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