The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed that the majority of state pensioners in England and Wales will receive this winter’s fuel payment automatically, with no form to complete. However, two groups have been told they must submit a claim, or they could lose out on money worth up to £300.
The Winter Fuel Payment is a yearly, tax-free lump sum intended to help older people meet their heating costs during the colder months. It is generally worth between £100 and £300, depending on a person’s age and household circumstances, and for the 2026/27 period it will begin reaching eligible households from November.
How Much Pensioners Will Receive and Who Qualifies
To be eligible, a person must have reached State Pension age and be ordinarily resident in England or Wales during the qualifying week. According to a written answer from Torsten Bell, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Pensions, that week is set out in legislation as the third full week of September, which for winter 2026/27 falls between 21 and 27 September.
The amount paid depends largely on age. Those born between State Pension age and 79 can receive £200, while people aged 80 or over can receive £300. The sums also reflect living arrangements: someone who lives alone, or with another person who does not qualify, receives the full amount, whereas the payment is typically split where two qualifying people share a home.
A June birth-date threshold has drawn particular attention. Responding to a parliamentary question from Labour’s Michael Wheeler, who asked why the eligibility cut-off falls in June, Mr Bell explained that the State Pension age for men and women is rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028. Those born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961 reach State Pension age at 66 plus a set number of months. According to his answer, a person must therefore have been born on or before 27 June 1960 to have reached State Pension age by the close of the qualifying week and qualify for the 2026/27 payment.
Eligibility has also widened. According to BBC cost of living correspondent Colletta Smith, speaking on BBC Morning Live, the payment now extends to around nine million state pensioners who were excluded last year, following a decision by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The qualifying income threshold stands at £35,000 or less, a figure that includes those drawing certain private and workplace pensions, provided they remain below that limit.
The Two Groups Who Must Submit a Claim
Most recipients will not have to lift a finger. According to the DWP, people receiving any of twelve listed benefitsn, among them the State Pension, Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Carer’s Allowance and Disability Living Allowancen will be paid automatically in November or December without applying.
For everyone else, a claim is required in two circumstances. According to government guidance, a person must apply if they have not received a Winter Fuel Payment before, or if they have deferred their State Pension since their last payment. Claims for winter 2026 to 2027 open from 21 September 2026.
Ms Smith said a small number of people may simply need to check that their details are current, pointing in particular to those who have deferred their State Pension or who have recently lived abroad and returned to the UK. For everybody else, she said, there is no need to apply.
The DWP has said eligible pensioners will be sent a letter in October or November confirming how much they will receive and which bank account will be used, usually the same one into which their State Pension or other benefits are paid. Those who have not received a letter, or the money, by 27 January 2027 are advised to contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.
Higher earners will not keep the money. According to the department, pensioners with income above £35,000 will have the payment reclaimed by HM Revenue and Customs, either through a change to their tax code or via a Self Assessment return. Ms Smith noted that such individuals can alternatively tick a box to decline the payment before it is made.
