Overview

• Letters confirming entitlement and amounts are being issued in October and November, with payments scheduled for November and December to eligible people born before 22 September 1959.
• Those with taxable annual income over £35,000 will have some or all of the support reclaimed through PAYE from April 2026 or via Self Assessment, and officials stress no money will be taken directly from bank accounts.
• Postal claims opened on 15 September, phone claims open from 13 October via the Winter Fuel Payment Centre, and the application deadline for this winter is 31 March 2026.
• Payment amounts in England and Wales range from £100 to £300 based on age and household circumstances, with specific exclusions for some long‑term care‑home residents who also receive certain means‑tested benefits.
• Scotland is running a separate Pension Age Winter Heating Payment of £101.70, £203.40 or £305.10, paid automatically from November, with an opt‑out window for higher earners closing this week, as authorities issue heightened scam warnings across the UK.