Overview
- Payments of £100 to £300 are being issued through November and December based on household circumstances, with most reaching accounts by mid-December.
- Authorities report a 150% rise in fraud attempts; recipients should ignore unsolicited messages, never share bank details, and forward suspicious texts to 7726.
- The payment reference in bank statements will begin with the recipient’s National Insurance number followed by “DWP WFP,” helping people verify the deposit.
- HMRC will recover payments from those with taxable income over £35,000 via PAYE code changes from April 2026 or through 2025/26 Self Assessment, with recovery expected to move to the same tax year from April 2027.
- Pensioners who have not been paid by 28 January 2026 should contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160, while Scottish winter heating payments are administered separately by the Scottish Government.