The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed which pensioners will need to make a manual claim for the Winter Fuel Payment this year. People born on or before 27 June 1960 are eligible for the one-off cash sum of up to £300, and most will receive the payment automatically, with the money arriving in bank accounts from November.
However, certain people will need to submit a claim to receive the payment, otherwise they will not get it. The welfare department has clarified exactly who needs to do this, after claims for this year's Winter Fuel Payment opened on Monday this week.
Who must claim manually
The DWP has stated that there are two circumstances under which you may have to claim the Winter Fuel Payment manually. These are: if the DWP has asked you to fill in the Winter Fuel Payment Application Form, or if you do not get any DWP benefit or pension but you have reached state pension age and you want to claim the Winter Fuel Payment.
You do not need to claim if you receive any of the following benefits: 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.
How to apply and payment amounts
The application form for the Winter Fuel Payment is available on the gov.uk website. To complete it, you will need information such as your national insurance number and bank details. The form also asks for information about your household, your immigration status, and any hospital stays you have had during the qualifying period.
The Winter Fuel Payment is worth up to £300 depending on your age and circumstances. For single pensioner households, the amount is £200 for people born between 28 September 1946 and 27 June 1960, and £300 for people born before 28 September 1946. If you are in a household with more than one pensioner, you may get the lower amount of £100, depending on any benefits you claim.
People with an annual income of £35,000 or more will have their payment clawed back by HMRC, through a change in their tax code or via their self assessment tax return. Some people will have opted out of getting the Winter Fuel Payment altogether, although the deadline for this has now passed.
Deadline and address
If you are required to fill out a form, you should send it to the Winter Fuel Payment Centre at the following address: Winter Fuel Payment Centre, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1LR. The deadline for you to make a claim for winter 2026 to 2027 is 31 March 2027.
If you are rejected for a Winter Fuel Payment, you can challenge the decision by asking the DWP for mandatory reconsideration.
