Overview
- Payments of £100–£300 are being made in November and December to people born before 22 September 1959 in England and Wales, and letters detailing entitlements have been sent in October and November.
- Pensioners with taxable income above £35,000 will have the payment recovered by HMRC via adjusted PAYE codes or Self Assessment, even if it initially lands in their bank account.
- The DWP warns that texts about applying for the Winter Fuel Payment are scams, advising people not to respond and to forward suspicious messages to 7726.
- Most payments are automatic, but those who have never received the Winter Fuel Payment or who deferred their State Pension must submit a claim by 31 March 2026.
- A separate £10 Christmas Bonus will be paid automatically to claimants of specified benefits in the first full week of December, and DWP payments due on 25 or 26 December are expected to arrive on Wednesday 24 December.