Overview
- Winter Fuel Payments of £100–£300 are being paid automatically to about nine million pensioners through November and December, with some outlets reporting a £35,000 income cap for eligibility this year.
- With temperatures forecast to plunge and a UKHSA yellow cold‑health alert in place, the DWP’s Cold Weather Payment scheme is live from November 1 to March 31, paying £25 per seven‑day spell at 0°C or below and issuing funds automatically within about 14 working days once a postcode is triggered.
- In Scotland, Social Security Scotland has begun issuing Pension Age Winter Heating Payments of £101.70–£305.10 and a separate £59.75 Winter Heating Payment that replaces Cold Weather Payments, with most awards automatic and a March 31, 2026 deadline for limited claim‑only cases.
- Energy suppliers including British Gas and Octopus are notifying customers about the expanded Warm Home Discount, providing a one‑off £150 bill credit or voucher between November 2025 and March 31, 2026, with eligibility now including many Universal Credit claimants.
- Local Household Support Fund help is also rolling out, with Stockton‑on‑Tees sending two £60 vouchers automatically to council tax reduction households this month and East Riding offering a one‑off £250 payment to working households not on means‑tested benefits under set income limits.