Who can get it

You can get a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2026/27 if:

  • you were born on or before 27 June 1960, and
  • you usually live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

What decides your payment is your situation during the qualifying week, 21 to 27 September 2026: your age, who you lived with, and whether you got certain benefits.

Who cannot get it

You are not eligible if you:

  • usually live outside England, Wales or Northern Ireland, even if you were visiting during the qualifying week;
  • were in hospital getting free treatment for the whole qualifying week and the year before it;
  • were in prison for the whole qualifying week;
  • need permission to enter the UK and your leave says you cannot claim public funds.

How much you get

Your amount depends on when you were born and your household during the qualifying week. Every figure below is for winter 2026/27.

If you live alone, or nobody you live with is eligible
Born Payment
Between 28 September 1946 and 27 June 1960£200
Before 28 September 1946£300
If you live with someone else who is eligible, and neither of you gets Pension Credit, Universal Credit or income-related ESA
You were born The other person was born Your payment
28 September 1946 to 27 June 196028 September 1946 to 27 June 1960£100
28 September 1946 to 27 June 1960Before 28 September 1946£100
Before 28 September 194628 September 1946 to 27 June 1960£200
Before 28 September 1946Before 28 September 1946£150
If you get Pension Credit, Universal Credit or income-related ESA
Your situation Payment
Joint claim, both born 28 September 1946 to 27 June 1960£200, paid to one of you
Joint claim, one or both born before 28 September 1946£300, paid to one of you
Your own claim, born 28 September 1946 to 27 June 1960£200
Your own claim, born before 28 September 1946£300
If you live in a care home and are eligible
Born Payment
Between 28 September 1946 and 27 June 1960£100
Before 28 September 1946£150

The payment does not affect your other benefits.

When it is paid

  • October or November 2026: a letter tells you how much you will get.
  • November or December 2026: most people are paid, into the account their pension or benefits go to.

If you have not had a letter, check on GOV.UK whether you need to claim. You usually only need to if you get no State Pension or qualifying benefit, for example because you have deferred your State Pension. Claims for winter 2026/27 opened on 21 September 2026.

The £35,000 income rule

Everyone who meets the age rule is paid, but people with a higher income have it taken back.

  • If your own total income is over £35,000, HMRC takes back the whole payment.
  • It does this by changing your tax code or through your Self Assessment tax return. You do not send the money back yourself.
  • Your partner’s income does not count. Each person is judged on their own income.
  • It is all or nothing: £1 over the threshold means the full amount is recovered.

A worked example

Margaret lives alone and was born in 1955, so she gets £200. Her income from her pensions is £36,000 a year, which is over £35,000, so HMRC recovers the full £200 through her tax code. If her income were £34,000, she would keep it.

Opting out

You can no longer opt out of the payment for winter 2026/27. If you expect your income to be over £35,000 and would rather not receive it, you can opt out of the payment for winter 2027/28 from 21 December 2026.

Scotland

You cannot get a Winter Fuel Payment if you live in Scotland. Social Security Scotland pays the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment instead. See our guide to home energy help in Scotland.

Watch out for fake messages

Scammers send texts and emails pretending to be about the Winter Fuel Payment. The government does not text you asking for bank details or passwords to pay it. Do not click the link: forward the text to 7726 and see how to report a scam.

Other help with winter heating

  • Cold Weather Payments: £25 for each 7-day freezing spell if you get Pension Credit or certain other benefits.
  • The Warm Home Discount: £150 off your electricity bill if you get Pension Credit or certain other benefits.
  • Pension Credit itself: if you are on a low income and not claiming it, check. It unlocks both of the above.

If your heating is old or expensive to run, a better system can cut bills for years. See help with energy bills this winter for the grants that can pay towards one.