Winter Fuel Payment 2025 | Changes in eligibility

Keeping your home warm in the winter can be expensive so benefits like the Winter Fuel Payment can make all the difference.

The fuel poverty charity NEA estimates that around 4 million UK households are unable to afford sufficient heating, and in January 2023 it reported there were around 4000 excess deaths during the winter months.

If you are an older person and receive certain benefits, you may be eligible for financial support with your heating bills.

What is the Winter Fuel Payment?

Winter Fuel Payment is an annual tax-free lump payment to help you to heat your home in the winter.

The benefit was introduced in 1997 for older people who feel the cold more, are less active and stay indoors more.

How much is the Winter Fuel Payment?

The payment is either £200 or £300, depending on your date of birth and whether or not you live alone.

If you or your partner were born before 23 September 1944, it should be £300.

Payments are usually made in November and December.

Who is eligible under the June 2025 Government announcement?

You may be eligible if:

• You were born on or before 21 September 1959 (this is for the winter of 2025/26, the qualifying birth date changes each year).
• You have an annual income of or below £35,000
• You live in England or Wales

Qualifying Week

Qualifying Week is a particular week of the year when eligibility criteria for Winter Fuel Payment must be met in order for you to qualify. For the winter of 2025/26, Qualifying Week is 15-21 September 2025.

At this time, to qualify, you must:

• Be of State Pension age
• Receive the qualifying benefits
• Live in England or Wales
• Not be in prison
• Not live in a care home. Care home residents can be eligible if they have lived there for less than 13 weeks and did not live there during Qualifying Week.

Government changed eligibility rules after backlash

The Government had announced on 11 September 2024 that the Winter Feel Payment would become a means-tested benefit for people in England and Wales.

After a backlash from Labour MPs, disability campaigners and the general public, the Prime Minister announced on 21 May 2025, an expansion of who would be eligible.

Prime Minister Kier Starmer said: “We want to ensure that, as we go forward, more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payments.”

On 9 June 2025, the Government confirmed the payment would now be for pensioners with an annual income of £35,000 or less.

Eligibility criteria no longer includes being in receipt of certain benefits. This means that nine million people, or over three quarters of people of pension age, will now receive the support.

You don’t need to do anything to get the payment. You will automatically receive the full amount. The HMRC will then take back none, some or all of it once they have assessed who is eligible.

This is similar to how Child Benefit works. You can opt out altogether.

How many pensioners were affected by the Winter Fuel Payment change?

Scrapping Winter Fuel Payment for better off pensioners was expected to reduce the number of people receiving the payment from 11.4 million to 1.5 million. The Winter Fuel Payment was introduced in 1997 by the Labour Government to help older people with their heating costs.

The DWP had predicted that the number of people receiving Winter Fuel Payments will continue to fall each year up to 2030. This was due to a projected fall in people claiming Pension Credit.

Forecasts published alongside the Spring Statement 2025 showed the number of people claiming Pension Credit was projected to fall from 1.37 million in 2025/26 to 1.21 million in 2029/30.

Steve Webb, partner at pension consultants LCP and former Pensions Minister, said: “The decision to restrict Winter Fuel Payments to those on Pension Credit has already taken the payment away from the large majority of pensioners.

“But what may not be appreciated is that as fewer and fewer pensioners are entitled to Pension Credit in future, this will mean fewer pensioners retaining help with their winter fuel payments.”

How do I claim the Winter Fuel Payment?

You should get the Winter Fuel Payment automatically. Per the June 2025 update, you will get the full amount, with some potentially taken back later depending on your eligibility.

If you haven’t received the payment and think you could be eligible, you can contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. You might need to provide your National Insurance Number. 

You can opt out of receiving the payment if you wish.

Telephone

Inside the UK: 0800 731 0160
Outside the UK: +44 (0)191 218 7280
Relay UK (if you can’t hear or speak): dial 18001 then 0800 731 0160

Email

Complete the Winter Fuel Payment claim form.

Post

Write to:

Winter Fuel Payment Centre
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1LR (or WV98 1ZU if writing from outside the UK)
UK

Look out for scammers

In September 2025 it was reported by the BBC that there has been a scam going round that targets people potentially eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment.

The scammers send you a text claiming to be from the Department of Work and Pensions, saying you haven’t claimed the money you’re entitled to. The text has a dodgy link that they want you to click on.

This text is NOT from the Department of Work and Pensions and you should NOT click on the link.

Winter fuel payments in Scotland and Northern Ireland

The Scottish Government has introduced a new benefit called the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP). This is similar to the Winter Fuel Payment in England and Wales.

Following the announcement for England and Wales on 11 September 2024, the Scottish Government has had its funding budget cut and will no longer be bringing it in as a universal benefit and will make it means-tested.

People of State Pension age who receive Pension Credit will get £200 or £300, depending on their age. Everyone else in Scotland of State Pension age will get £100.

Northern Ireland is also making their Winter Fuel Payment means tested, with details to be confirmed.

What is the Warm Home Discount Scheme?

The Warm Home Discount Scheme works with energy suppliers to give you a discount on your electricity bill for the winter.

If your electricity supplier also supplies you with gas, you could get a discount on your gas bill instead. 

How much is it?

You could save £150.

Who is eligible?

You could be eligible if you either:

• Receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
• Or you’re on a low income

You’ll need to be with a participating energy supplier.

You may also be eligible if you use a pre-pay or pay-as-you-go electricity meter, but you’ll need to contact your supplier directly for more information.

How to claim

You will be able to claim Warm Home Discount from October 2025.

If you get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, you should get a letter between October and December telling you how to apply.

If you don’t get the letter, or otherwise think you’re eligible and would like to apply, you can contact the Warm Home Discount Scheme.

Telephone

0800 731 0214

Post

Write to:

110552 Warm Home Discount Scheme
PO Box 26965
Glasgow
G1 9BW

What is the Cold Weather Payment?

If the temperature where you live drops below 0 degrees Celsius (27 degrees Fahrenheit) for 7 consecutive days or more, you could get some money to help to pay towards heating your home.

How much is it?

The payment is £25 for each 7 day period of below-freezing weather where you live, between 1 November and 31 March.

You can check how many payments are available in your area by typing in your postcode.

Who is eligible?

You could be eligible if you receive:

• Pension Credit
• Universal Credit and you’re employed or self-employed and either:
  • Have a child under 5 who lives with you
  • Or have a health condition or disability that limits your capacity to work
• Income support or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and have:
  • A disabled child
  • A child under 5 who lives with you
  • A disability or pensioner premium
  • Or receive Child Tax Credit that includes a disability element
• Income-related Employment Support Allowance and you are in a work-related support group or have:
  • A disabled child
  • A child under 5 who lives with you
  • An enhanced or severe disability premium
  • A pensioner premium
  • Child Tax credit that includes an enhanced or severe disability element
• Support for Mortgage Interest have:
  • A disabled child
  • A child under 5 who lives with you
  • An enhanced or severe disability premium
  • A pensioner premium
  • Child Tax credit that includes an enhanced or severe disability element

How to claim

You don’t need to apply, you’ll receive the payment automatically if you’re eligible.

What is the National Concessionary Fuel Scheme?

If you are an ex-employee of the National Coal Board or the British Coal Corporation, or the widow or widower of one, you could get free solid fuel (such as wood or coal) or money for fuel.

How much is it?

You could get solid fuel delivered to your home every few weeks, or a payment every 3 months.

Who is eligible?

You could be eligible if you are:

• An ex-employee of the National Coal Board or the British Coal Corporation
• The widow or widower of an ex-employee of the National Coal Board or the British Coal Corporation

Certain changes, such as remarrying, could affect your eligibility.

How to claim

To claim, contact the National Concessionary Fuel Office.

Telephone

0345 759 0529 or 0370 386 9961

Email

ncfo@capta.co.uk

Post

National Concessionary Fuel Office
PO Box 64
Sheffield
S1 1XL

What is Fuel Direct?

If you are in receipt of certain benefits and are struggling with debt to your energy supplier, you may be able to have your heating bills partially or fully paid for directly from your benefits. This means the benefits you receive in your bank account will be lower each month while some of the money goes directly to paying off the debt. The deduction will also pay towards your current energy bill.

Eligible benefits include:

• Universal Credit
• Pension Credit
• Income Support
• Income-related Employment Support Allowance
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

To apply, speak to your nearest Jobcentre Plus, or the Pension Service if you receive Pension Credit.