Millions of retired individuals will soon be notified about their eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment this year. The payment ranges from £100 to £300 and is granted to pensioners born before September 22, 1959.
If your income exceeds £35,000, you may have to repay the Winter Fuel Payment through the tax system unless you choose to opt out. Eligibility for the payment is based per individual, so in a couple, one person may qualify while the other may not.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will dispatch letters in October and November to households entitled to receive the Winter Fuel Payment this year.
The qualifying period for the Winter Fuel Payment this year is September 15 to 21, 2025, with varying amounts based on age and household benefit claims. Previously, the payment was universally available to all state pensioners, but eligibility criteria have been revised to include an income threshold of £35,000 this year.
Most recipients will automatically receive the Winter Fuel Payment without the need to apply if they are already receiving certain benefits. However, those who have not previously received the payment or have deferred their state pension may need to apply by post starting September 15 or by phone from October 15.
Certain conditions disqualify individuals from receiving the payment, such as being in hospital for the entire qualifying week or residing in a care home and claiming specific benefits. In Scotland, the Winter Fuel Payment has been substituted with the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.
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