The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed £300 for heating bills for state pensioners aged 80 and over from November. The money comes from this year’s Winter Fuel Payment, which will be paid to anyone born before June 28 1960, to help with heating costs over the winter.
Payment amounts and eligibility
The lump sum payment is worth between £100 and £300, depending on individual circumstances, and is due to be paid to pensioner households in November and December. The DWP will send out letters to eligible pensioners from October to confirm how much their payment will be, with the exact amount determined based on their age and circumstances during the qualifying week between September 21 and 27, 2026.
According to the DWP's eligibility criteria for winter 2026 to 2027, older state pensioners born before September 28, 1946, (so those aged 80 and over) are in line for the largest payments, and will receive £300 from the DWP. Those who are younger with birthdays between September 28, 1946 and June 27, 1960, will receive a lower payment of £200.
Official confirmation from DWP
Confirming the payments, the DWP said: “If you were born before 28 June 1960 you could get between £100 and £300 to help you pay your heating bills for winter 2026 to 2027. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.
“Most people get the Winter Fuel Payment automatically if they’re eligible. If you’re eligible, you’ll receive a letter in October or November saying how much you’ll get. Most eligible people will be paid in November or December 2026.”
The DWP added: “If you live alone or no one you live with is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment you’ll get either: £200 if you were born between 28 September 1946 and 27 June 1960; £300 if you were born before 28 September 1946.”
Additional payment details and deadlines
For those who live with someone else who is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, payment amounts will vary from £100 to £200, depending on individual circumstances. If you get Pension Credit, Universal Credit or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) then your payment amount may be different.
Letters from the DWP will be sent out from October confirming payment amounts and the money will then be automatically paid into accounts from November. Pensioners with an individual annual income of more than £35,000 will have their Winter Fuel Payment clawed back by HMRC in the 2027/28 tax year unless they opt out.
The DWP has set two deadlines to do this, both of which fall in September this year. For those who want to opt out via phone, the deadline is 6pm on September 18, 2026, while the deadline for opting out online is 11.59pm on September 20, 2026.
In a recent reminder to pensioners of the deadline in a post X, the DWP said: “If your income is over £35,000, Winter Fuel Payment is recovered through your tax. If you’d prefer not to receive it, you can opt out. Deadlines apply in September.”
Pensioners don’t need to repeat this opting out process every year and won’t receive a Winter Fuel Payment in the future unless they choose to opt back in.
