Pensioners across the UK are being alerted to a new wave of fraudulent text messages that attempt to obtain personal and banking details under the pretext of securing the Winter Fuel Payment. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed it will never request bank information via text or email for this purpose.
According to DevonLive, council officials report that residents in areas including Yorkshire, Humberside, and North East Lincolnshire have been targeted. The messages are designed to mimic official government communications, with criminals creating realistic GOV.UK-style websites to collect sensitive details from unsuspecting recipients across multiple communities.
How the Scam Operates
In one example, a fraudulent message reads:
“Your application for the 2024-2025 Winter Fuel Payment has not yet been submitted or the previously submitted application information is incorrect. To ensure that you receive the £300 allowance, you must apply before the deadline of August 14, 2025. Late application will result in cancellation of eligibility for this year.“
The scam links to a website that closely imitates GOV.UK, prompting victims to enter personal and banking information. Criminals use this method to exploit trust in official branding, leading to possible financial theft or identity fraud. Councillor Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities in North East Lincolnshire, warned:
“These are sophisticated scams that could see residents lose their hard-earned money with just a few taps on their device. We know that people living in other parts of the Yorkshire and Humberside region have received copies of this scam text, so we’re cautioning our residents to be vigilant.“
He added:
“As always with things like this, the advice is really simple: don’t click. Instead, seek advice from official sources. Don’t rely on the information received in the text or email.“
Official Guidance and Timelines
The DWP advises that most people will receive the Winter Fuel Payment automatically if they are eligible during the qualifying week of 15 to 21 September 2025 and were born before 22 September 1959. Around nine million people in England and Wales are expected to get the payment this way.
Automatic payments apply if the recipient receives one of the following benefits: State Pension, Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Carer’s Allowance, Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), War Pensions Scheme awards, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, Incapacity Benefit, or Industrial Death Benefit.
Those who have never received the payment before or have deferred their State Pension must apply. Claims can be made by post from 15 September 2025 or by phone from 13 October 2025. The real deadline for winter 2025–2026 applications is 31 March 2026.
How to Protect Yourself
The DWP reiterates:
“We never send text messages or emails requesting your bank details for winter fuel payment purposes.“
Residents receiving suspicious texts should delete them and avoid clicking any links. Scam texts can be forwarded free to 7726, the national spam-reporting service, or reported to the National Cyber Security Centre.
Using only the official GOV.UK website and verified phone or postal channels for applications is the safest way to ensure the Winter Fuel Payment is claimed securely.
