You can get a Winter Fuel Payment if you were born before 22 September 1959 but not all pensioners qualify – here are the rules
Not everyone is eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Winter Fuel Payments will help scores of pensioners across the UK with their heating bills this year. Most people get the money automatically if they’re eligible.
If you were born before 22 September 1959 you could get between £100 and £300 to help you pay your heating bills for winter 2025 to 2026. If your income is over £35,000, HMRC will take your Winter Fuel Payment back.
If you’re eligible, you’ll get a letter in October or November saying how much you’ll get. However, many people may not realise that not all pensioners are eligible for the payment. This reminder comes after a major scam warning was issued over Winter Fuel Payments, with the DWP asking older people to be aware of fraudulent text messages, as reported by ChronicleLive.
So who qualifies for the cash and who doesn’t? The Government specifies that you can get a Winter Fuel Payment if you were born before 22 September 1959 and live in England or Wales.
But there are certain circumstances when you will not be eligible. These are outlined below. More information is available here.
When you will not be eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment
You will not be eligible if you:
live outside England and Waleswere in hospital getting free treatment for the whole of the week of 15 to 21 September 2025 and the year before thatneed permission to enter the UK and your granted leave says that you cannot claim public fundswere in prison for the whole of the week of 15 to 21 September 2025If you live in a care home
You can get a Winter Fuel Payment if you live in a care home. However, you will not be eligible if both of the following apply:
you get Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)you lived in a care home for the whole time from 23 June 2025 or earlierHow much you’ll get
The amount you get is based on when you were born and your circumstances between 15 and 21 September 2025. This is called the ‘qualifying week’. Any money you get will not affect your other benefits.
If you live alone or no one you live with is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment
You’ll get either:
£200 if you were born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959£300 if you were born before 22 September 1945If you live with someone else who’s eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment
Your payment may be different if you get one of the following benefits:
Pension CreditUniversal Creditincome-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)Income Support
If you do not get any of the benefits, you’ll get a payment of:
£100 if you and the person you live with were both born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959£100 if you were born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959 but the person you live with was born before 22 September 1945£200 if you were born before 22 September 1945 but the person you live with was born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959£150 if you and the person you live with were born before 22 September 1945
If you and your partner jointly claim any of the benefits, one of you will get a payment of either:
£200 if both of you were born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959£300 if one or both of you were born before 22 September 1945
If you get any of the benefits (not as part of a joint claim), you’ll get a payment of either:
£200 if you were born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959£300 if you were born before 22 September 1945
If you live in a care home and if you’re eligible you’ll get either:
£100 if you were born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959£150 if you were born before 22 September 1945