Winter Fuel Payment
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.