Winter Fuel Payment changes - how much you will be paid

Changes have been made to the way the Winter Fuel Payment works, meaning more people will get the benefit. If you were born before September 22, 1959 you could get help paying your heating bills for winter 2025 to 2026.

According to GOV.UK, around 9 million pensioners will receive Winter Fuel Payments this year. This is an annual, tax-free lump sum payment, intended to give older people reassurance they can afford to heat their homes.

The Winter Fuel Payment was first introduced in 1997. Typically, households where the oldest member is under 80 receive £200, while those with someone aged 80 or over receive £300.

People will receive the Winter Fuel Payments meaning "all pensioners in England and Wales with an income of, or below, £35,000 a year" will benefit from it. They add: "This threshold is well above the income level of pensioners in poverty and is broadly in line with average earnings, balancing support for lower income pensioners with fairness to the taxpayer."

However if your income is over £35,000, HMRC will take your Winter Fuel Payment back. You can check if your income is over the threshold and how HMRC will take it back.

HMRC will take your Winter Fuel Payment back by either:

• changing your tax code for the 2026 to 2027 tax year
• adding the amount to your 2025 to 2026 Self Assessment tax return

In certain years, additional sums have been added to the standard payments but this has now changed. During the winters of 2022/2023 and 2023/2024, households also received a £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment alongside their Winter Fuel Payment.

Now, this extra payment will not be provided in winter 2024/2025, the House of Commons Library confirms.

The amount you get is based on when you were born and your circumstances between 15 and 21 September 2025. This is called the ‘qualifying week’.

You can check the Winter Fuel Payment: How much you'll get page via the GOV.UK for a detailed breakdown.

The Government confirms: "No pensioner will need to take any action as they will automatically receive the payment this winter, and for those with incomes above the threshold it will be automatically recovered via HMRC. The payment of £200 per household, or £300 per household where there is someone over 80, will be made automatically this winter."

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.

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

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

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 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