Overview

• Eligibility is based on being born before 22 September 1959 and living in England or Wales, with entitlement assessed during the qualifying week of 15–21 September 2025; experts say the £35,000 cap works out to roughly £673 of taxable income in that week.
• Payments are worth between £100 and £300 depending on age and household circumstances, with letters due in October or November and most payments made in November or December.
• The DWP confirms that higher earners will not receive a bill but will have the money reclaimed automatically via PAYE code changes or Self Assessment, and an online opt‑out is available on GOV.UK before 15 September.
• The department has warned of fake texts and emails about claiming or opting out and advises pensioners not to click links and to use only official GOV.UK pages or the Winter Fuel Payment helpline.
• Key exclusions include people outside England and Wales, those in hospital or prison for the whole qualifying week, some care‑home residents on specified income‑related benefits, and people with restricted immigration status; first‑time or deferred‑pension cases may need to claim by 31 March 2026.