DWP reveals exactly who will get winter fuel payment this year
Nearly nine million pensioners will receive an extra £200 or £300 to help with heating costs this year as the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) winter fuel payment scheme continues with new criteria.
The government severely restricted its cold weather plan for winter 2024 to only the lowest-earning pensioners, before making a U-turn last year to expand the provision once again.
But this still limited the original scope of the payment, which is no longer available to all pensioners regardless of their income.
Instead, only those with incomes below £35,000 – representing around 60 per cent of all pensioners in the UK – are guaranteed. These will start to be paid in November and December 2026.
But there are also five groups of older people that the DWP has said are not eligible for payments.
These are retirees who:
- Living outside England and Wales
- They were receiving free hospital treatment during the week of 21-27 September 2026 and the year before.
- They need permission to enter the UK and the permission they are given says they cannot claim public funds
- They remained in prison for the entire week between 21 and 27 September 2026
Care home residents are still entitled to winter fuel payments, with one very important exception. Individuals who receive universal credit, pension credit or ESA and lived in a care home full-time on or before 29 June are not eligible.
Pensioners with income over £35,000 now pay it back through the tax system. In most cases, the payment is £200 for people under 80, or £300 for people that age or over.
HM Revenue and Customs has begun reaching out to more than a million pensioners in this category about changes to tax codes for 2026/27 that will claw back winter fuel payments.
The regulation will ensure that the refund is spread over the entire tax year through the PAYE system. For those under 80 this will mean a cut of around £17 a month. For those aged 80 and over it will be £25.
For those filing a self-assessment tax return, the payment must now be included in the forms. Those who open files online will likely find this is added automatically.
It is too late for pensioners who have exceeded the £35,000 threshold and they must abandon their 2027 plan by September this year.
For the latest DWP payment dates and the cost of life support, visit The Independent’s regularly updated guide
