Who is still eligible for winter 2025/26?
You can get Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2025/26 if BOTH are true:
- You were born before 23 September 1959 (i.e. you'll be at State Pension age during the qualifying week)
- You (or your partner you live with) received one of these qualifying benefits during the qualifying week of 15-21 September 2025:
- Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit or Savings Credit)
- Universal Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
If you receive one of these benefits, Winter Fuel Payment arrives automatically in November or December — you do not need to claim it.
The change — 29 July 2024
Before July 2024, all UK pensioners over State Pension age got Winter Fuel Payment automatically. The Chancellor announced on 29 July 2024 that from winter 2024/25 onwards, only pensioners receiving Pension Credit or certain other means-tested benefits would qualify. About 10 million UK pensioners lost their automatic payment. The change was confirmed by Statutory Instrument and is still in force for 2025/26.
How much is it?
Winter Fuel Payment is tax-free and ignored for other means-tested benefits:
- £200 — if you (and any partner you live with) are under 80
- £300 — if you (or any partner you live with) is 80 or over
The amount per household is shared between qualifying adults if more than one person in the home qualifies — you do not each get the full amount.
If you don't qualify yet — the Pension Credit unlock
This is the most important section on this page. 760,000+ UK pensioners are eligible for Pension Credit and don't claim it (Department for Work and Pensions Income-Related Benefits estimate, latest published). The average award is around £4,200 a year. And Pension Credit unlocks a cascade of other UK support:
- Winter Fuel Payment — £200 or £300 a year (this page)
- Free TV Licence at 75+ — worth £169.50 a year (BBC funding)
- Cold Weather Payment — £25 per 7-day cold spell (DWP, automatic)
- Council Tax Reduction — varies by council, often the full amount removed (LGFA 1992)
- Free NHS dental treatment + prescriptions — via HC2 certificate (NHS BSA)
- Help with NHS travel costs — via HC2 certificate
- Housing Benefit if you rent — often the full rent covered
- Warm Home Discount £150 — automatic in Core Group 1 (England + Wales)
One Pension Credit claim, if successful, can be worth £7,000+ a year in total UK support. Including Winter Fuel Payment.
The deadline you need to know
Pension Credit claims can be backdated 3 months. To unlock Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2025/26, your Pension Credit claim needs to be backdated to before 21 September 2025 (the end of the qualifying week). This means you must claim by 21 December 2025. Earlier is safer — processing takes 6-8 weeks.
How to claim Pension Credit
- Check eligibility first — use the official calculator at gov.uk/pension-credit-calculator. It's free and anonymous. Or read our Pension Credit guide for the full plain-English walkthrough.
- Call the claim line on 0800 99 1234 (textphone 0800 169 0133, Mon-Fri 8am-6pm). Most claims are taken by phone — usually a 30-45 minute call. The DWP will ask about your income, savings, and household.
- Or claim online at gov.uk/pension-credit/how-to-claim if you have a Government Gateway login.
- Or claim in writing using form PC1 if you prefer (request the form when you call).
- Have these ready:
- Your National Insurance number
- Your bank account details (sort code + account number)
- Information about your income (State Pension, private pensions, earnings, savings)
- Information about your housing costs (rent, mortgage interest, service charges)
- Free help to claim — Age UK Advice (0800 678 1602, free, Mon-Fri 8am-7pm), Citizens Advice (0800 144 8848), or Independent Age (0800 319 6789) will help you check eligibility and complete the claim. They are not government but they are charities — free, no fees.
Other UK winter support routes
Even if you don't currently qualify for Winter Fuel Payment, these may apply to your household:
- Warm Home Discount £150 — off your electricity bill, October to March. Automatic for Pension Credit Guarantee recipients (Core Group 1) and certain other low-income households with high-energy-cost properties (Core Group 2). See our Warm Home Discount guide.
- Cold Weather Payment £25 — for each week of very cold weather (December to March) at your postcode. Automatic if you're on certain benefits.
- Household Support Fund — one-off cash from your local council (varies £100-£500). Every English council runs one until at least 31 March 2026. Apply through your council's website.
- Supplier hardship funds — British Gas Energy Trust (open to anyone not just British Gas customers), EDF Energy Customer Support Fund, Octopus Assist, OVO Energy Support Fund. Grants typically £200-£1,500.
- Priority Services Register — free service from your energy + water suppliers for vulnerable customers (free meter reads, advance warning of outages, prepayment top-ups during illness).
- Council Tax Reduction — if your income is low. Varies by council. See our Council Tax guide.
- Free / discounted energy advice — National Energy Action (NEA) and Citizens Advice Consumer Service (0808 223 1133) help with bills, debt, and supplier disputes.
If you're struggling to heat your home
Cold homes kill thousands of UK adults every winter. If you can't afford to heat your home safely, please reach out:
- Citizens Advice Consumer Service — 0808 223 1133 (free, Mon-Fri 9am-5pm). Energy debt + supplier disputes.
- National Energy Action (NEA) — 0800 304 7159 (Wales), 0800 011 3393 (England). Free fuel-poverty support.
- Age UK Advice — 0800 678 1602 (free, Mon-Fri 8am-7pm). Heating + welfare advice for over-50s.
- British Gas Energy Trust — bgenergytrust.org.uk. Grants for severe energy debt — open to anyone, any supplier.
- Samaritans — 116 123 (free, 24/7). For the moments where everything feels too much.