Overview
- Most eligible pensioners will be paid automatically into bank accounts in November or December 2025, with letters sent in October and November confirming awards of £100 to £300.
- Eligibility is age-based for England and Wales, covering those born on or before 22 September 1959 with a qualifying week of 15–21 September 2025.
- Two groups must make a claim or risk missing out: people who have never received the payment before and those who have deferred their State Pension, with a deadline of 31 March 2026.
- Payments may be credited first and later recovered for those over the £35,000 threshold, reclaimed via PAYE adjustments or through Self Assessment; HMRC says from 2027 it plans to collect two years’ amounts in one tax year, meaning deductions of up to about £600 across 2027–28.
- DWP warns that texts about applying are scams, stressing payments are automatic and urging people to report suspicious messages by forwarding them to 7726 or contacting Action Fraud.