The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will automatically pay a £200 Winter Fuel Payment to eligible state pensioners aged 79 and under. The payment, designed to help with heating bills during the colder months, will be issued to those who meet the qualifying criteria without the need to submit a claim in most cases.
In England and Wales, older people may receive the Winter Fuel Payment if they have reached State Pension age. Specifically, individuals born on or before 21 September 1959 and living in England or Wales during the qualifying week are eligible for the support.
Payment amounts and eligibility criteria
The Winter Fuel Payment is either £200 or £300 per household. Pensioners aged 80 years or over will receive the higher amount of £300, while those aged 79 and under will get £200. The payment is made per household, not per individual.
Eligible pensioners will receive a letter in October or November detailing the total amount they will receive and how it will be paid. The automatic payment will be deposited into the same bank account used for their State Pension or other benefits. Payments are scheduled to begin from mid-November 2026 onwards.
Most eligible individuals will receive the payment automatically without making a claim. However, a claim is required if you have deferred your State Pension and do not receive another DWP benefit, or if the DWP specifically asks you to make a claim.
Recovery for high-income pensioners and benefit recipients
If a pensioner's total income exceeds £35,000 per year, HMRC will recover the Winter Fuel Payment through the tax system. This means that higher-income pensioners may not ultimately benefit from the full amount.
According to the DWP: “Most payments are made automatically in November or December. You should get a letter telling you: How much will you get, which bank account it will be paid into - this is usually the same account as your State Pension or other benefits.”
The DWP added: “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.”
Automatic recipients and who needs to claim
Most pensioners who receive any of the following 12 benefits will receive the Winter Fuel Payment automatically in November or December, with no action required:
- 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 receive any of these benefits, you will need to submit a claim for the payment if either of the following applies: you have not received the Winter Fuel Payment before, or you have deferred your State Pension since your last Winter Fuel Payment.
Payments will continue to be made from mid-November 2026, and pensioners who do not receive their letter or payment by 27 January 2027 should contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre for assistance.
