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Winter fuel payment explained – who is entitled to it?
Most pensioners will receive the politically controversial benefit again this year after a government U-turn, but some will still lose out
Millions of pensioners in England and Wales are due to receive winter fuel payments in the coming months – but some are going to miss out.
The payments help those who have reached state pension age – currently from 66 – with “heating costs during the colder months”, said Age UK.
All pensioners used to get the payment but Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in July 2024 that the entitlement would be means-tested and restricted to those on Pension Credit. There was a “partial reversal” of the policy earlier this year, said the BBC, after Labour MPs blamed it for the party’s “poor showing in local elections in May”.
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Winter fuel payments are now paid to pensioners with an annual taxable income of £35,000 or less, and nine million people are entitled to the benefit.
This is still down from the 11 million pensioners who previously qualified.
What is a Winter Fuel Payment?
The winter fuel payment is a one-off benefit offered by the government to help older people with their heating bills when temperatures drop. Introduced in 1997 by the then chancellor Gordon Brown, it is paid annually in the autumn.
The tax-free payment is worth between £100 and £300, depending on age and other benefits. Currently, anyone above state pension age will qualify.
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Eligibility is based on a person’s age and place of residence during the qualifying week, which is the third full week of September. For winter 2025/2026, the qualifying week was 15 to 21 September 2025, said the Department for Work and Pensions.
But a “major change this year”, said MoneyHelper, is that anyone with annual taxable earnings above £35,000 will have “most of the money” taken back by HMRC.
This is a “U-turn” from last winter, said the BBC, when payments were reserved for those claiming Pension Credit but now the “vast majority of pensioners will again get the payment”.
How to get the winter fuel payment
Most people will automatically get the winter fuel payment if they are already paid benefits such as the state pension or receive Pension Credit. You may need to apply for the winter fuel payment if you have deferred your state pension.
Watch out for scams, though, said MoneySavingExpert, as fake texts and emails “have already started to spring up” with links or phone numbers trying to get people to claim. If you see one, “do not reply”.
When do the winter fuel payment eligibility rules change?
If you’re eligible for a winter fuel payment you should receive “a letter in October or November saying how much you’ll get”, said the government website. Subsequently, individuals can expect automatic payment in November or December.
Letters will be distributed to pensioner households “irrespective of income”, said the Daily Express, which will “outline alterations” to this year’s payment.
Pensioners “won’t have to take any action” to receive the payment, said The Independent, as any money that needs to be repaid will be recovered through the tax system either through pay as you earn (PAYE), from a salary or state pension, or through self-assessment.
What other support is available?
Assistance is in place to help those on a limited income access help with energy bills during periods of cold weather. Perhaps the most helpful is the cold weather payment, available to any age receiving other benefits such as Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit (with some exceptions).
When the average temperature at your nearest weather station drops to zero degrees Celsius or below for seven days in a row, those eligible will receive £25.
There is also the warm home discount: a £150 one-off discount on electricity bills for those who receive Pension Credit or live in a low-income household.
Given the ongoing cost of living crisis, it is “more important than ever” to check your entitlement to Pension Credit and other forms of support, said MoneySavingExpert.
Marc Shoffman is an NCTJ-qualified award-winning freelance journalist, specialising in business, property and personal finance. He has a BA in multimedia journalism from Bournemouth University and a master’s in financial journalism from City University, London. His career began at FT Business trade publication Financial Adviser, during the 2008 banking crash. In 2013, he moved to MailOnline’s personal finance section This is Money, where he covered topics ranging from mortgages and pensions to investments and even a bit of Bitcoin. Since going freelance in 2016, his work has appeared in MoneyWeek, The Times, The Mail on Sunday and on the i news site.
