Winter Fuel Payment
How to claim
You usually do not need to claim Winter Fuel Payment - you’ll get it automatically if you’re eligible.
If you have not got a Winter Fuel Payment before, you only need to claim if any of the following apply:
- you do not get benefits or the State Pension
- the only benefit you get is Adult Disability Payment from the Scottish Government, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit
- you live in Switzerland or an EEA country
If you have got a Winter Fuel Payment before, you only need to claim if since your last payment you have either:
- deferred your State Pension
- moved to Switzerland or an EEA country
If you need to claim
You can claim Winter Fuel Payment by phone or by post.
Claim for the first time by phone
Call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre to claim by phone.
Winter Fuel Payment Centre
Email enquiry form
Telephone: 0800 731 0160
Telephone from outside the UK: +44 (0)191 218 7777
Textphone: contact Relay UK on 18001 then 0800 731 0160
Textphone from outside the UK: contact Relay UK on +44 (0)151 494 2022 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 5pm
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
- your BIC and IBAN numbers if you live in an EEA country or Switzerland
- 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 19 to 25 September 2022 you were:
- in hospital getting free in-patient treatment
- in a residential care home or Ilford Park Resettlement Home
- in prison
Claim for the first time by post
The forms you need depend on where you live.
If you live in the UK, fill in a Winter Fuel Payment claim form for UK residents.
If you live in an eligible EEA country or Switzerland, fill in the Winter Fuel Payment claim form for EEA or Swiss residents and the IPCF091 form if you’re a UK national or dual national. If you’re a UK national or dual national living in Ireland, you do not need to fill in the IPCF091 form.
You cannot get a Winter Fuel Payment if you live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain.
Send your claim to the following address if you’re in the UK.
Winter Fuel Payment Centre
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1LR
Send your claim to the following address if you’re in an EEA country or Switzerland.
Winter Fuel Payment Centre
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1ZU
UK
If you disagree with a decision
You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.