Overview

• Eligibility for 2025–26 is set during the qualifying week of 15 to 21 September, with recipients required to have reached State Pension age by the end of that week.
• The DWP warns pensioners to ignore unsolicited texts or emails and to check details only on GOV.UK, with official letters due in October or November and most payments expected in November or December.
• People whose taxable income exceeds £35,000 can opt out by 15 September to avoid later recovery, otherwise HMRC will collect the full amount via PAYE code changes or Self Assessment.
• Awards depend on age and household circumstances and range from £100 to £300 per eligible person, with most payments made automatically.
• Exclusions apply to people outside England and Wales, those in hospital or prison for the entire qualifying week, certain care-home residents on specific benefits, and people whose immigration status bars access to public funds, with Scotland and Northern Ireland operating separate schemes.