You can get a Winter Fuel Payment if you were born before 22 September 1959 and live in England or Wales. When you will not be eligible You will not be eligible if you: live outside England and Wales were in hospital getting free treatment for the whole of the week of 15 to 21 September 2025 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 15 to 21 September 2025 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, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance ( JSA ) or income-related Employment and Support Allowance ( ESA ) you lived in a care home for the whole time from 23 June 2025 or earlier

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 15 to 21 September 2025. This is called the ‘qualifying week’. Any money you get will not affect your other benefits. 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 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 Your payment may be different if you get one of the following benefits: Pension Credit Universal Credit income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance ( JSA ) income-related Employment and Support Allowance ( ESA ) Income Support 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 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 any of the 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 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 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959 £300 if you were born before 22 September 1945 If your income is more than £35,000 HMRC will take back all of your Winter Fuel Payment through either PAYE or your Self Assessment tax return. If you live in a care home If you’re eligible you’ll get either: £100 if you were born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959 £150 if you were born before 22 September 1945

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 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 How to claim You can claim Winter Fuel Payment by: post - from 15 September 2025 phone - from 13 October 2025 The deadline for you to make a claim for winter 2025 to 2026 is 31 March 2026. Claim by post Fill in a Winter Fuel Payment claim form and send it to the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. Winter Fuel Payment Centre Mail Handling Site A Wolverhampton WV98 1LR Claim by phone Call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre to claim by phone. Winter Fuel Payment Centre Email enquiry form Telephone: 0800 731 0160 Textphone: contact Relay UK on 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 What to prepare before you call Before you call, you will need to know: your National Insurance number your bank or building society details the date you were married or entered into a civil partnership (if appropriate) Payments cannot be made into a National Savings and Investments (NS&I) account unless you already get other benefits paid into the account. You’ll also need to say whether during the qualifying week of 15 to 21 September 2025 you were: in hospital getting free in-patient treatment in a residential care home or Ilford Park Resettlement Home in prison If you disagree with a decision You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.

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 28 January 2026, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre .

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 You can choose to opt out of getting all future Winter Fuel Payments. To opt out you need to contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre before 15 September 2025. You can opt in again by contacting the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. To get a payment for winter 2025 to 2026 you need to contact them before 31 March 2026. Contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre When you contact the payment centre, you’ll need to tell them your personal details like: your name your address your date of birth your National Insurance number You can either call the helpline or send a letter by post. To opt out of getting Winter Fuel payments you can complete the opt out form or call the helpline. Email enquiry form Telephone: 0800 731 0160 Textphone: contact Relay UK on 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 .

Winter Fuel Payment

Overview

If you were born before 22 September 1959 you could get between £100 and £300 to help you pay your heating bills for winter 2025 to 2026. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

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

If your income is over £35,000, HMRC will take back your Winter Fuel Payment through the tax system.

You can opt out of getting the Winter Fuel Payment if you do not want to receive it.

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

Most eligible people will be paid in November or December 2025.

If you live in Northern Ireland

You might be eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment from the Northern Irish Government. Eligibility rules will be the same as for England and Wales. This will be paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

If you live in Scotland

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

Other help with heating bills

You could also get:

a Cold Weather Payment - if you get certain benefits and the temperature drops to zero degrees celsius or below for 7 days in a row
the Warm Home Discount - this is a £150 discount on your bills if you get Pension Credit or live in a low-income household
help from the Household Support Fund, if you’re eligible under your local council’s rules

View a printable version of the whole guide

Winter Fuel Payment

Overview

If you live in Northern Ireland

If you live in Scotland

Other help with heating bills

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Winter Fuel Payment

Overview

If you live in Northern Ireland

If you live in Scotland

Other help with heating bills

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