Overview

• People in England and Wales born before 22 September 1959 will generally receive £100–£300, with letters due in October–November and payments expected in November–December.
• Most eligible pensioners will be paid automatically, but postal claims open 15 September and phone claims start in mid‑October for those who need to apply.
• The DWP warns of phishing attempts and tells recipients to ignore unsolicited links or calls and use only official GOV.UK channels to opt out or check entitlement.
• Anyone with taxable income over £35,000 will have the payment recovered later via PAYE or Self Assessment, and those who prefer not to receive it can opt out before the qualifying week.
• Exclusions remain for specific cases including some care‑home residents on certain benefits, people abroad, and those in hospital or prison for the whole qualifying week, as ministers say the cut‑off will not be reviewed.