Overview
- Letters are being issued in October and November, with about nine million eligible people due £100–£300 in November and December depending on age and circumstances.
- Eligibility requires being born before 22 September 1959 and being in England or Wales during the 15–21 September 2025 qualifying week.
- The DWP lists five non‑qualifying situations: a £35,000+ income triggering repayment, a full week in hospital, a full week in prison, certain long‑stay care‑home residents on specified benefits since 23 June 2025, and immigration status barring public funds.
- HMRC will recover payments from higher earners via PAYE or self‑assessment, with typical deductions of about £17 a month for a £200 payment, rising to about £33 a month in 2027 when two years are collected.
- Officials warn of scam texts and say no action is needed to claim, while separate reports highlight roughly 80,000 missing out due to the birthday cut‑off and a likely triple lock rise from April 2026 that could push state pensions near the personal allowance.