Winter Fuel Payment

Printable version

1. Overview

If you were born before 28 June 1960 you could get between £100 and £300 to help you pay your heating bills for winter 2026 to 2027. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg) and in an easy read format.

Most people get the Winter Fuel Payment automatically if they’re eligible. 

If you’re eligible, you’ll receive a letter in October or November saying how much you’ll get.

Most eligible people will be paid in November or December 2026.

Paying back the Winter Fuel Payment if your income is over £35,000

If your total income is over £35,000, HMRC will take your Winter Fuel Payment back. Your partner’s income does not count towards your total.

You can check if your income is over the threshold and how HMRC will take it back.

If you live in Scotland

You cannot get a Winter Fuel Payment. You might be eligible for Pension Age Winter Heating payment.

Scams

You may get calls, emails or messages that are pretending to be from a government service. If you get a message asking for your personal details (for example, bank details or passwords) this could be a scam. Report anything you think is suspicious.

Other help with heating bills

You could also get:

2. Eligibility

You can get a Winter Fuel Payment if you were born on or before 27 June 1960 and usually live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

When you will not be eligible

You will not be eligible if you:

  • usually live outside England, Wales or Northern Ireland
  • were in hospital getting free treatment for the whole of the week of 21 to 27 September 2026 and the year before that
  • need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave says that you cannot claim public funds
  • were in prison for the whole of the week of 21 to 27 September 2026

If you live in a care home

You can get Winter Fuel Payment if you live in a care home. You will not be eligible if both of the following apply:

  • you get Universal Credit, Pension Credit or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • you lived in a care home for the whole time from 28 June 2026 or earlier

3. How much you'll get

You’ll get a letter in October or November telling you how much Winter Fuel Payment you’ll get, if you’re eligible.

If you do not get a letter but think you’re eligible, check if you need to make a claim.

The amount you get is based on when you were born and your circumstances between 21 to 27 September 2026. This is called the ‘qualifying week’.

Any money you get will not affect your other benefits.

If your income is over £35,000

HMRC will take your Winter Fuel Payment back by either:

  • changing your tax code
  • adding the amount to your Self Assessment tax return

You can check if your total income is over the threshold and how HMRC will take it back.

If you live alone or no one you live with is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment

You’ll get either:

  • £200 if you were born between 28 September 1946 and 27 June 1960
  • £300 if you were born before 28 September 1946

If you live with someone else who’s eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment

Your payment may be different if you get one of the following benefits:

  • Pension Credit
  • Universal Credit
  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

If you do not get any of the benefits

You’ll get a payment of:

  • £100 if you and the person you live with were both born between 28 September 1946 and 27 June 1960
  • £100 if you were born between 28 September 1946 and 27 June 1960 but the person you live with was born before 28 September 1946
  • £200 if you were born before 28 September 1946 but the person you live with was born between 28 September 1946 and 27 June 1960
  • £150 if you and the person you live with were both born before 28 September 1946

If you and your partner jointly claim any of the benefits

One of you will get a payment of either:

  • £200 if both of you were born between 28 September 1946 and 27 June 1960
  • £300 if one or both of you were born before 28 September 1946

You’ll be paid into the bank account your benefits are usually paid into.

If you get any of the benefits (not as part of a joint claim)

You’ll get a payment of either:

  • £200 if you were born between 28 September 1946 and 27 June 1960
  • £300 if you were born before 28 September 1946

If you live in a care home

If you’re eligible you’ll get either:

  • £100 if you were born between 28 September 1946 and 27 June 1960
  • £150 if you were born before 28 September 1946

4. Check if you need to claim

Most people get the Winter Fuel Payment automatically if they’re eligible.

You do not need to claim if you get any of the following:

  • State Pension
  • Pension Credit
  • Universal Credit
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • Carer’s Allowance
  • Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • 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

How to claim

The deadline for you to make a claim for winter 2025 to 2026 was 31 March 2026. Claims for winter 2026 to 2027 open from 21 September 2026.

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.

5. When you’ll get paid

Most payments are made automatically in November or December.

You should get a letter telling you:

  • how much you’ll get
  • which bank account it will be paid into - this is usually the same account as your State Pension or other benefits

If you do not get a letter or the money has not been paid into your account by 27 January 2027, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.

6. Report a change or opt out

Contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre if you’re eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment and you:

  • need to report a change of circumstances
  • need to change your address or personal details

Report any change of circumstances as soon as possible - for example, if you move house or move into a care home. These can affect how much Winter Fuel Payment you get.

If you want to opt out of getting the Winter Fuel Payment

To opt out of getting Winter Fuel Payments, you need to either:

If your total income is over £35,000 and you did not opt out, HMRC will take your Winter Fuel Payment back. You cannot return it yourself. You can check how HMRC will take it back.

You do not need to opt out every year. You will not receive Winter Fuel Payment in future years unless you opt in again.

If you want to opt in again

You can opt in again by contacting the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. To get a payment for winter 2026 to 2027 you need to contact them before 31 March 2027.

Contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre

When you contact the payment centre, you’ll need to tell them your personal details like:

You can either call the helpline or send a letter by post.

Email enquiry form
Telephone: 0800 731 0160
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0160
British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges

Winter Fuel Payment Centre
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1LR

If you’re paid too much

You may have to repay the money if you:

  • do not report a change straight away
  • gave wrong information
  • are overpaid by mistake

Find out how to repay the money you owe from benefit overpayment.