Overview

• Most eligible people will be paid automatically, with letters arriving in October or November confirming the amount and payments expected in November or December 2025.
• Phone claims open on 13 October via the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160 (Monday to Friday, 8am–6pm), and the deadline to claim for winter 2025/26 is 31 March 2026.
• Eligibility generally covers those born before 22 September 1959 who were in England or Wales during the 15–21 September qualifying week, with exclusions for full‑week hospital treatment, prison or certain care‑home stays; Scotland and Northern Ireland have different schemes.
• Payments are usually one per household—£200 if the oldest eligible person is under 80 or £300 if someone is 80+—but people on income‑related benefits such as Pension Credit receive individual payments, and some couples may effectively receive £100 if a partner’s share is reclaimed.
• DWP warns that texts telling people to apply are scams, advises that payments are automatic for most, and urges reports of suspicious messages via the Stop! Think Fraud website.