Winter Fuel Payment: How the heating allowance scheme works
What is the Winter Fuel Payment?
The Winter Fuel Payment, which is also referred to as the winter fuel allowance or heating allowance, is an annual tax-free payment of between £100 or £300 which helps people born on or before 22 September 1959 to pay for their heating in the winter.
These payments shouldn't be confused with Cold Weather Payments — which you could receive for spells of particularly cold weather on a weekly basis — or with the Warm Home Discount, which is a rebate applied to electricity bills.
Do I qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment?
You could qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment for the winter of 2025-2026 if:
- You were born on or before 22 September 1959
- You live in England or Wales.
Whether you qualify also depends on a few other factors. You won't qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment if:
- You live outside England or Wales
- You were in prison for the whole of the week 15-21 September 2025
- You were in hospital getting free treatment for more than 52 consecutive weeks
- You need permission to enter the UK under the stipulation that you cannot claim public funds.
Can I get the Winter Fuel Payment if I live in a care home?
You can get the Winter Fuel Payment if you live in a care home, but you won't be eligible if:
- You've lived in the care home continuously from 23 June 2025 or earlier
- You receive Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
Our interactive tool below can help you find out if you could be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment and other government schemes to help with your energy bills:
How much winter fuel allowance will I receive?
If you live alone or nobody you live with is eligible for the payment:
| Situation | Born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959 | Born on or before 22 September 1945 |
|---|---|---|
| You live alone | £200 | £300 |
If you live with someone else who's eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment:
| Situation | You and the person you live with were both born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959 | Either you or the person you live with were born before 22 September 1945 | You were born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959 but the person you live with was born before 22 September 1945 | You were born before 22 September 1945 but the person you live with was born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959 | You and the person you live with were born before 22 September 1945 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| If you and your partner jointly claim any of the benefits listed above | £200 (only one recipient) | £300 (only one recipient) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| If you do not get any benefits | £100 | N/A | £100 | £200 | £150 |
If you get any of the benefits listed above (not as part of a joint claim), you’ll get a payment of £200 if you were born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959 or £300 if you were born before 22 September 1945.
If you live in a care home:
| You were born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959 | You were born before 22 September 1945 | |
|---|---|---|
| If you live in a care home | £100 | £150 |
For more information on the types of households that qualify for Winter Fuel Payment, visit Gov.uk's dedicated page.
Do I need to claim my winter fuel allowance or will I be paid automatically?
You don't need to claim your Winter Fuel Payment if you receive at least 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)
- awards from the War Pensions Scheme
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
- Incapacity Benefit
- Industrial Death Benefit.
If you don't receive any of the above benefits, you'll need to claim if you've either:
- Not received the Winter Fuel Payment before
- Deferred your State Pension since your last Winter Fuel Payment.
How do I apply for the Winter Fuel Payment?
To apply, you will need to download an application form or get a claim form sent to you by calling the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160. You can also claim over the phone by calling the number. Return your completed application form from 15 September 2025 until 31 March 2026 to:
Winter Fuel Payment Centre
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1LR
The Winter Fuel Payment won't affect your other benefits and you won't have to pay Income Tax on it.
What if my situation changes (e.g. moving house)?
You never need to claim winter fuel allowance more than once. Your payments will be given to you every year automatically. If you move house, move overseas, or have someone move in with you, give the Winter Fuel Payment Centre a ring on 0800 731 0160.
How is the Winter Fuel Payment paid?
Most payments will be made automatically in November or December. You’ll get a letter telling you:
- how much you're eligible to receive
- which bank account it will be paid into (usually the same account as your State Pension or other benefits).
If you don't receive a letter or the money has not been paid into your account by 28 January 2026, you can contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.
Can I claim winter fuel allowance for past winters?
If you are eligible, you can claim Winter Fuel Payments retrospectively for 1997/98 and 1999/2000. You can't make claims for past winters from 2000/2001 and onwards.
Is any other help available for my gas and electricity bills?
If you don't qualify for benefits like the Winter Fuel Payment, Cold Weather Payment or Warm Home Discount, you can at least see if there are cheaper energy deals available. If you're not on a fixed deal, it's very likely you can save.
It takes minutes to run a quick comparison of your current plan. All you need is your postcode and tariff name to compare online with Uswitch.
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Click here to compare energy prices and get started on your energy switch.