The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will automatically pay £200 Winter Fuel Payments to state pensioners under the age of 80 from November. The payment is intended to help with heating bills over the winter and will go to people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland born on or before June 27, 1960.
Eligibility and payment amounts
Winter Fuel Payments range between £100 and £200, with the exact amount determined by age and individual circumstances during the qualifying week from September 21 to 27, 2026. According to DWP eligibility criteria for winter 2026 to 2027, pensioners under 80 who live alone and were born between September 28, 1946 and June 27, 1960 will typically receive £200.
Pensioners born before September 28, 1946 who live with a partner born between those dates will also get £200. Those aged 80 or over living alone and born before September 28, 1946 will receive £300. For those living with someone else who is eligible, payments vary from £100 to £200 depending on circumstances.
Automatic payments and claims
Most pensioners receiving certain benefits—including 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—will receive the payment automatically in November or December and need not claim.
Those who have not received the payment before or have deferred their State Pension since their last payment must submit a claim. The DWP will send letters in October or November confirming the amount and payment account, with payments made before the end of the year. The DWP said: “Most payments are made automatically in November or December. You should get a letter telling you how much you will get and which bank account it will be paid into—this is usually the same account as your State Pension or other benefits.”
Tax and opt-out details
Pensioners with total income over £35,000 will have the payment automatically recovered by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) via tax code adjustment or Self Assessment. To opt out, pensioners must complete an opt-out form before 11.59pm on September 20, 2026, or call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre before 6pm on September 18, 2026. If no letter or payment arrives by January 27, 2027, pensioners should contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.
