Overview

• Fraudsters are sending texts and emails posing as the DWP, a non‑existent Department of Pensions or a fictitious Department of Energy, pushing people to register by fake deadlines via links to cloned sites.
• The DWP says it never asks for bank details by text or email and advises forwarding suspicious messages to 7726 and reporting crimes to Action Fraud.
• Most eligible pensioners will be paid automatically in November and December, with notification letters going out beforehand to confirm amounts and payment details.
• Around nine million households are eligible this winter, with typical awards of £200 per household or £300 where someone is aged 80 or over.
• Only a small group needs to claim through the Winter Fuel Payment Centre, with postal claims open from September 15, phone claims from October 13, and a final deadline of March 31, 2026.