Winter Fuel Payment

Winter Fuel Payment is an annual tax-free payment to help with heating costs. Most payments are made between November and December.

How much could I get?

In the financial year April 2020 to March 2021 the payment is:

• £200 if you’re under 80
• £300 if you’re over 80.

However, you’ll usually get less if you live with other people who also qualify or if you live in a care home or nursing home and don't get one of the following benefits:

• Pension Credit
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support.

If you live in a care home or nursing home and receive any of these benefits then you're not entitled to any Winter Fuel Payment.

Am I eligible to claim Winter Fuel Payment?

You may be eligible for Winter Fuel Payment if you meet all the following criteria:

• you were born on or before 5 October 1954 (to be eligible for the financial year April 2020 to March 2021 – the eligibility birth date changes every financial year).
• you lived in the UK throughout the qualifying week (for the financial year 2020–2021, this is 21–28 September 2020)

You usually get a Winter Fuel Payment automatically if you receive the State Pension or another benefit, such as Pension Credit (but not Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support or Universal Credit).

If you qualify, but don’t get paid automatically, you’ll need to make a claim.

How can I claim Winter Fuel Payment?

If this is the first year you can claim, or if you’ve never claimed before, call the Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 0800 731 0160. You'll need to know your National Insurance number and your bank or building society details.

You only need to claim once. After this, you should automatically receive a payment every year, as long as your circumstances don’t change.

There have been some problems with the payment of Winter Fuel Payments this year. Some people have received a letter including old bank account details, but this should not be a problem. The DWP has the correct information and payment should still be made to the correct bank account. However, if the notification letter gives the wrong information about eligibility – for example it states a lower amount than someone is entitled to – or if no notification letter has been received, they should contact the Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 0800 731 0160.

Additionally, there's been a slightly longer payment schedule this year, with an increased time between the notification letter being sent and the payment being made. The DWP has said it aims to have made all payments by 31 March, but if someone hasn’t received a payment yet, the DWP has said they should contact the Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 0800 731 016 and their case will be treated as a priority.

What should I do next?

• Call the Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 0800 731 0160.