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5h ago

DWP Starts Winter Fuel Payment Letters as Warm Home Discount Launches

The DWP has begun notifying pensioners, using a £35,000 income threshold that HMRC enforces through the tax system.

The date your benefit is paid in October depends on which benefit you receive and the date you first received your benefit payment. Image: Unsplash
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Overview

  • Letters are being sent from October 1 to eligible state pensioners, with most Winter Fuel Payments due automatically in November and December to around nine million households in England and Wales.
  • Payments are worth £200 per household for most eligible pensioners or £300 where someone is aged 80 or over, applied per household with split rules for couples.
  • Some pensioners must apply manually, including those who have never received the payment or who deferred their State Pension; postal claims opened September 15, phone claims open October 13, and the deadline is March 31, 2026.
  • Individuals with taxable income over £35,000 will have their Winter Fuel Payment recovered by HMRC via PAYE code changes for 2026/27 or through 2025/26 Self Assessment.
  • The expanded Warm Home Discount begins today with a £150 bill credit applied by energy suppliers for many benefit recipients, and Cold Weather Payments of £25 per seven‑day freezing period will operate automatically from November 1 to March 31 for eligible households.