Telephone claims for the 2026 to 2027 Winter Fuel Payment open on Monday, October 19, and state pensioners who will not receive the payment automatically are urged to contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to claim it.
Winter Fuel Payments are awarded to pensioners born on or before June 27, 1960, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and are worth between £100 and £300. In most cases, the DWP issues payments automatically, with the money due to start arriving in bank accounts from next month.
However, not all eligible retirees will get an automatic payment and may need to submit a claim to receive the cash this winter. The DWP has set a deadline of March 31, 2027, for pensioners to do this, but the window to make a telephone claim opens from today.
Who Needs to Claim
You do not need to claim your Winter Fuel Payment if you get 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.
But if you do not get any of these, you will need to contact the DWP to claim your payment if either of the following applies: you have not got the Winter Fuel Payment before, or you have deferred your State Pension since your last Winter Fuel Payment.
How to Claim by Phone
In this case, you can call the DWP's Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160 to claim by phone. You will need to provide your National Insurance number, the date you were married or entered into a civil partnership (if appropriate), and your bank or building society details.
You will also need to confirm your living circumstances during the qualifying week of September 21 to 27, 2026, as this will influence how much your payment will be.
Payment Amounts and Deductions
According to the DWP, if you live on your own or no one you live with is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, you will get either £200 if you were born between September 28, 1946 and June 27, 1960, or £300 if you were born before September 28, 1946. If you live with someone else who is eligible, your payment amount may be different.
Pensioners should also be aware that if your total individual income is over £35,000, HMRC will automatically take your Winter Fuel Payment back.
