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Winter Fuel Payments Hit Accounts for 9 Million Pensioners as DWP Issues Scam Alert

HMRC will reclaim payments from people with taxable income above £35,000 through the tax system.

Overview

  • Automatic transfers of £100 to £300 are being made now through the end of December, with amounts based on age, household circumstances and benefit status.
  • Eligibility is determined by the qualifying week of 15–21 September 2025 for those who had reached State Pension age by then.
  • Genuine deposits display a bank reference beginning with the recipient’s National Insurance number followed by "DWP WFP".
  • HMRC will contact higher earners and recover any repayment via tax code changes from April 2026 or through 2025/26 tax returns.
  • Officials advise ignoring unsolicited texts, forwarding suspicious messages to 7726, and reporting HMRC-related scams on GOV.UK, with non-receipt queries due by 28 January 2026 via 0800 731 0160.