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If you were born on or before 27 June 1960, first check the residence and automatic payment requirements. Separate claims will be available from 21 September 2026. Check the claim process on GOV.UK. (Verification: Claims for winter 2026/27 will be available from 21 September 2026, and the claim form will be published later. · Source gov.uk · checked 2026-04-01) The claim deadline is 31 March 2027.
The amounts are for winter 2026/27, and the claim opening date is based on guidance updated on 1 April 2026.
What should you prepare before applying on 21 September?
First check whether you qualify for automatic payment, then prepare your claim information. Most eligible people will be paid without making a separate claim. The claim form page currently says the form will be published later. This does not mean you can submit a claim now.
- Check your date of birth and residence. People born on 27 June 1960 are also included in the age requirement.
- Check whether you will be paid automatically. Review the pensions and benefits you currently receive and your previous payment history.
- Prepare your identity and account information. Have your name, address, date of birth, and National Insurance number ready. Also check the account details for receiving the payment.
- Check the guidance for the relevant year from 21 September. Check the 2026/27 form on the GOV.UK claim form page. Follow the submission method and address shown on the published form.
- Submit your claim before the deadline. Anyone making a separate claim must apply by 31 March 2027.
The DWP Winter Fuel Payment claim form states:
You can claim for winter 2026 to 2027 from 21 September 2026.
For telephone enquiries, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. The number is 0800 731 0160. Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 08:00–18:00 UK local time. Once claims open, you can also check whether claims can be made by phone.
Identity information is specified in the current contact guidance for the centre. Preparing account details is a recommendation based on previous claim guidance. Check the required fields again after the new form is published. The sources are the DWP claim form guidance and the centre contact guidance.
An older couple reviews benefit application paperwork with an adviser.AI-generated image
Automatic payment and separate claim requirements
If you receive a specified pension or benefit, you usually do not need to make a separate claim. However, you must still meet the underlying eligibility requirements. Find your circumstances in the table below.
| Current circumstances | What to do |
|---|---|
| Receiving State Pension or another benefit eligible for automatic payment | Check your payment letter. |
| Not receiving any such benefit and have no previous payment history | Make a separate claim. |
| Not receiving any such benefit and deferred State Pension after your last payment | Make a separate claim. |
| Previously received a payment and do not meet the separate claim conditions above | Check whether you will be paid automatically. |
| Previously opted out of receiving payments | Ask the centre to restart your payments. |
Benefits eligible for automatic payment are:
- State Pension, Pension Credit, Universal Credit
- Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment
- Carer’s Allowance, Disability Living Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Payments under the War Pensions Scheme
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
- Incapacity Benefit, Industrial Death Benefit
This is not a scheme available only to Pension Credit recipients. Eligibility was expanded again from 2025/26. Check the current rules in the GOV.UK claim guidance.
What are the date-of-birth and residence requirements?
The basic eligibility requirement applies to ordinarily resident people born on or before 27 June 1960. The relevant areas are England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The amount and household circumstances are assessed based on 21–27 September 2026. This period is called the qualifying week.
| Circumstances | Requirement to check |
|---|---|
| Ordinarily resident in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland | Winter Fuel Payment requirements apply |
| Resident in Scotland | Check the separate Pension Age Winter Heating Payment |
| Ordinarily resident outside the UK | Does not meet the current Winter Fuel Payment residence requirement |
| Immigration permission includes a condition prohibiting access to public funds | Excluded from payment |
| In prison throughout the qualifying week | Excluded from payment |
| Receiving long-term free inpatient treatment throughout the qualifying week and immediately beforehand | Check the long-term hospital stay exclusion rules |
A long-term hospital stay must be distinguished from a short admission. The legislation specifies free inpatient treatment for more than 52 weeks immediately before the qualifying week. You must also be receiving that treatment throughout the qualifying week. Check the detailed conditions in the GOV.UK eligibility guidance.
Can care home residents receive it?
Living in a care home alone does not exclude you from payment. You are excluded when long-term residence is combined with receipt of certain benefits. GOV.UK specifies continuous residence since 29 June 2026 or earlier.
This is combined with conditions relating to receipt of Pension Credit and other benefits. These benefits also include Universal Credit and income-related ESA. Check both the admission date and benefit status during the qualifying week.
Where should residents of Scotland check?
Residents of Scotland should check Pension Age Winter Heating Payment. The responsible body is Social Security Scotland. The basic date-of-birth requirement is on or before 27 June 1960. Residence on 27 September 2026, the final day of the qualifying week, is also checked.
Do not apply the England and Wales payment table directly. Separate payment amounts and exception rules apply. You can check the mygov.scot eligibility guidance.
How much is the 2026/27 payment for each household?
The payment depends on your date of birth and the eligibility of anyone living with you. The amounts stated for 2026/27 range from £100 to £300. The amounts below are before income-based recovery. The table is in pounds sterling.
| Circumstances during the qualifying week | Born 28 September 1946–27 June 1960 | Born before 28 September 1946 |
|---|---|---|
| Live alone or have no eligible person living with you | You receive £200 | You receive £300 |
| All eligible people living with you are less than 80 and do not receive a specified benefit | You receive £100 | You receive £200 |
| At least one eligible person living with you is aged 80 or older, and no specified benefit is received | You receive £100 | You receive £150 |
| Eligible for payment while living in a care home | You receive £100 | You receive £150 |
The specified benefits in the table are Pension Credit, Universal Credit, and income-related ESA. A separate payment structure applies if these benefits are received. Also check whether the benefit is claimed jointly.
| How the specified benefit is claimed | 2026/27 payment structure |
|---|---|
| Joint claim by a couple, both people less than 80 | £200 paid to one person |
| Joint claim by a couple, at least one person aged 80 or older | £300 paid to one person |
| Individual claim rather than a joint claim | £200 or £300 according to your date of birth |
Do not apply the joint claim amount separately to both members of a couple. Check the final amount in each person’s letter. The source is the GOV.UK payment amount guidance.
How is it recovered if personal income is more than £35,000?
In principle, the full amount is recovered if an individual’s total annual income is more than £35,000. Your spouse’s income is not added to your own. If your income is exactly £35,000, it does not meet the “more than” condition. This is also not a system under which only part of the payment is repaid in proportion to the excess income.
The 2026/27 tax year runs from 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027. Do not determine your position based only on monthly take-home pay. You need to check your total annual income before deducting the Personal Allowance. Follow the questions in HMRC’s checker for detailed income items.
| Tax treatment | Recovery method |
|---|---|
| PAYE applies and you do not file Self Assessment | Recovered from pay or pension by adjusting the tax code |
| Self Assessment filer | Check the Winter Fuel Payment charge on the tax return |
| The full amount cannot be recovered through the tax code | Check HMRC’s tax calculation guidance |
| Making Tax Digital for Income Tax user | After filing, follow the payment process provided by HMRC |
This does not work by applying the ordinary income tax rate to the payment itself. A separate tax charge equal to the amount received arises. You do not need to register for Self Assessment solely because of this recovery. The source is HMRC PAYE14020.
There is an exception for people who received certain means-tested benefits during the qualifying week. These include Pension Credit and Universal Credit. Income Support, income-based JSA, and income-related ESA are also included. If this applies to you, check HMRC’s exemption conditions for recovery.
Can payments for two years be deducted at the same time?
HMRC can recover payments for two years during the same period. The current guidance includes an example of a tax code change in January 2027. This is a case where recovery of the 2026 payment begins while the 2025 payment is still being recovered. Check your own tax code notice for the actual deduction amount.
Therefore, do not apply previous monthly recovery examples without adjustment. The winter for which a payment was received and the tax year in which it is deducted may differ. Check the latest treatment in the GOV.UK income recovery guidance.
