The qualifying week was from September 15 to 21 for winter 2025/26.
DWP sending state pensioners born before 1959 free £300 that’s ‘automatic’
The Department for Work and Pensions is sending free £300 payments to certain state pensioners. If you were born before September 22, 1959, and live in England or Wales you could get between £100 and £300 to help pay for heating bills for winter 2025 to 2026.
The £300 Winter Fuel Payment is being rolled out for retirees. The qualifying week was from September 15 to 21 for winter 2025/26.
BBC and ITV star Martin Lewis has explained: “All households with a State Pensioner born on or before 21 September 1959 will get a payment of either £200 or £300 automatically. The higher payment is given when there is someone in the house born on or before 21 September 1945 (in other words, aged 80 or over).
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“It’s normally paid in November or December, though the Government hasn’t yet confirmed the exact dates for the coming winter.
“If an individual State Pensioner earns over £35,000 this tax year (2025/26), their portion of the payment will be clawed back through the tax system.
“For most, this will happen automatically through pay-as-you-earn (PAYE), via a change in your tax code next tax year (2026/27).
“Though if you already file a self-assessment tax return (for example, because you’re self-employed or have a high income), then it will be clawed back through that.
“Self-assessment is done after the end of the tax year, so this will be done after April 2026.”
How much you get depends on your age, who you live with, their age and your circumstances between the 15 and 21 of September 2025. This is called ‘qualifying week’.
You’ll get a letter in October or November telling you how much Winter Fuel Payment you’ll get.
If you live with a partner and are both aged over 80 years during ‘qualifying week’ you will get a higher payment. If you are aged 66 to 79 years you will get a lower payment, Money Helper has explained.