Overview

• Eligibility is expanded to pensioners with taxable incomes up to £35,000, or £70,000 for couples, covering around nine million people born before 22 September 1959 in England and Wales.
• Payments are per household and set at £200 as standard or £300 where someone is aged 80 or over, with amounts based on birth dates and household circumstances in the 15–21 September qualifying week.
• DWP will send letters in October or November confirming amounts, most payments will be made automatically in November or December, and unpaid cases can be claimed until 31 March 2026.
• The guidance lists exclusions including living outside England and Wales, being in hospital or prison for the full qualifying week (with specified conditions), immigration status barring public funds, and incomes over £35,000 which trigger recovery.
• HMRC will reclaim above-threshold payments by adjusting PAYE codes for 2026–27 or via 2025–26 Self Assessment, and the DWP warns that it never requests bank details by text or email as scammers target the scheme.