Winter Fuel Payment

From winter 2024–25, the Winter Fuel Payment is restricted to households where at least one member is aged 66 or over and the household receives one of the following qualifying benefits:

• Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit or Savings Credit)
• Universal Credit
• Income-based JSA
• Income-related ESA
• Income Support

Importantly, receiving only contributory benefits (such as New Style JSA or contributory ESA) does not qualify a household for the Winter Fuel Payment under the new rules. The qualifying benefit must be a means-tested, income-related benefit.

The payment is made per household, not per person. The amount depends on age: £200 for the oldest person aged 66–79, and £300 for the oldest person aged 80 or over.

The most important action for pensioners who no longer receive the Winter Fuel Payment is to check Pension Credit eligibility. Up to one million eligible pensioners do not claim Pension Credit. If you are entitled to Pension Credit, claiming it will also unlock the Winter Fuel Payment and a range of other benefits.

You can check eligibility and claim Pension Credit:

• Online: gov.uk/pension-credit
• By phone: 0800 99 1234 (free, Monday to Friday 8am–6pm)

Pension Credit can be backdated for up to three months. If you claim before the Winter Fuel Payment qualifying week (usually third week of September), you will receive the payment that winter.

If you qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment but have not received it, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre:

• Phone: 0800 731 0160 (Monday to Friday 8am–6pm)
• Address: Winter Fuel Payment Centre, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton WV98 1LR

You will need your National Insurance number and bank account details. Missing payments can usually be identified and issued — payments are normally made automatically but data matching errors can occasionally cause them to be missed.

The deadline to claim a Winter Fuel Payment for a given winter is 31 March following that winter — so claims for 2024–25 can be made until 31 March 2025.

From winter 2024–25, the Winter Fuel Payment was restricted by the government to households receiving Pension Credit or another qualifying means-tested benefit. This was a significant policy change — previously, all households with a member aged 66 or over received the payment automatically. The change removed the universal entitlement and means that pensioners on modest incomes who do not claim Pension Credit will no longer receive winter fuel support unless they take action.

Why the change matters: The Department for Work and Pensions estimates that around one million pensioners who are eligible for Pension Credit do not claim it, often because they do not realise they qualify, believe the amounts are too small to be worth claiming, or find the application process daunting. Pension Credit tops up weekly income to a minimum guaranteed level of £218.15 for single pensioners and £332.95 for couples (2024–25 rates). Even a small Pension Credit entitlement — sometimes just a few pence per week — now unlocks the Winter Fuel Payment, which is worth £200 or £300 per household.

How to check eligibility under the new rules: Use the government's Pension Credit calculator at gov.uk/pension-credit/eligibility to check whether you or a family member may qualify. The calculator asks about income, savings, and housing costs. Pension Credit eligibility is not simply about income — it can be enhanced by severe disability, caring responsibilities, or housing costs, which means some pensioners who expect to be ineligible are actually entitled to a small amount. If the calculator suggests any entitlement, make a claim — even a small weekly amount is worthwhile when it also unlocks the Winter Fuel Payment.

Backdating: Pension Credit can be backdated for up to three months. Critically, to receive the Winter Fuel Payment for a given winter, you must be in receipt of a qualifying benefit during the qualifying week — typically the third week of September. A Pension Credit claim made in October or later will be backdated and may still cover the September qualifying week if you were entitled at that time, but check the deadline for each year carefully. Citizens Advice and Age UK can help with Pension Credit claims and can advise whether backdating will unlock a current year's Winter Fuel Payment.