Overview

• From 20 October, the DWP is sending Warm Home Discount letters after rule changes in England and Wales that extend the £150 rebate to about six million households, with suppliers applying it automatically by 31 March 2026.
• The Government has reinstated the Winter Fuel Payment for roughly nine million pensioners, with £100 to £300 due to be paid automatically in November and December.
• Eligibility for this winter depends on being born before 22 September 1959 and being in England or Wales during the qualifying week of 15–21 September 2025, so some people reaching pension age after that date will miss out until next year.
• The DWP lists five exclusions, covering people with taxable income above £35,000, anyone in hospital or prison for the whole qualifying week, certain long‑term care‑home residents on specified benefits, and those barred from public funds by immigration status.
• HMRC will reclaim Winter Fuel Payments from higher earners via PAYE or self‑assessment, with typical deductions of about £17 a month for a £200 payment and a temporary rise to about £33 a month in 2027 when two years are collected at once, and officials warn that texts about claiming are scams.