The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will this month begin sending letters to state pensioners confirming automatic payments of up to £300. The letters, being dispatched from October, will set out the precise Winter Fuel Payment amount state pensioners will receive to assist with heating bills for winter 2026 to 2027.
Eligibility and payment amounts
State pensioners will qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment if they were born on or before June 27, 1960, and reside in Wales, England or Northern Ireland. The payments are worth between £100 and £300, and the sum you receive depends on your age and individual circumstances.
However, pensioners should be aware that even if they are entitled to receive a Winter Fuel Payment, not everybody is permitted to keep it, as those with an individual income exceeding £35,000 will have the money reclaimed by HMRC.
What the letters confirm
Letters will be sent by the DWP outlining how much Winter Fuel Payment you will receive if you are eligible, with payments then expected to follow in November or December.
According to the DWP eligibility criteria for winter 2026 to 2027, if you live alone and were born between September 28, 1946 and June 27, 1960, you will receive £200. If you live alone and were born before September 28, 1946, you will receive £300, reports the Express.
If you live with somebody else who is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment and you receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), your payment may differ.
How to claim and deadlines
The DWP said: "You'll get a letter in October or November telling you how much Winter Fuel Payment you'll get, if you're eligible. If you do not get a letter but think you're eligible, check if you need to make a claim."
The amount you get is based on when you were born and your circumstances between 21 to 27 September 2026, known as the 'qualifying week'. Any money you get will not affect your other benefits. If your income is over £35,000, HMRC will take your Winter Fuel Payment back by either changing your tax code or adding the amount to your Self Assessment tax return.
The majority of people will automatically receive the Winter Fuel Payment if they are eligible, and the DWP has confirmed there is no need to make a claim if you are in receipt of 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, or Industrial Death Benefit.
If you do not receive any of these, you will need to apply if you have either never previously received the Winter Fuel Payment, or have deferred your State Pension since your last Winter Fuel Payment.
The DWP has confirmed that pensioners are able to claim the Winter Fuel Payment by telephone from Monday, October 19, 2026. From that date, you can contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0900 731 0160, and you have until March 31, 2027 to submit your claim for winter 2026 to 2027. For those who would prefer to submit a claim by post, this can be done immediately by completing an online form and sending it to the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.
The deadline to opt out of this year's Winter Fuel Payment has now passed, however pensioners are able to opt out of next year's payment from December 21. Opting out will have no bearing on your State Pension, and you will not need to opt out every year, as no further payments will be made unless you actively choose to opt back in. If you decide to opt back in at a later stage, this can be done by getting in touch with the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. To receive a payment for winter 2026 to 2027, you will need to contact the service before March 31, 2027.
