Overview

• Most people born on or before 22 September 1959 qualify for a one-off payment of £100 to £300 to help with heating costs.
• Amounts vary by age and household, with typical awards of £200 for those born 22 September 1945 to 21 September 1959 and £300 for those born before 22 September 1945.
• Postal claims opened on 15 September, phone claims begin on 13 October via the Winter Fuel Payment Centre, and the final deadline is 31 March 2026.
• Most eligible recipients will be paid automatically in November or December, and around nine million pensioners in England and Wales are expected to receive the support.
• Care-home residents can qualify, but those on certain means-tested benefits who lived in a care home continuously since 23 June 2025 or earlier are not eligible.