Nine Million Pensioners Will Now Receive a Winter Fuel Payment

On Monday 9th June 2025, the Government announced that nine million pensioners will now receive a Winter Fuel Payment – an increase of 7.5 million people.

Older people of state pension age with an income of, or below, £35,000 a year will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter. This increased threshold means no lower or middle-income pensioners will miss out, with over three quarters of pensioners in England and Wales receiving the payment.

The Winter Fuel Payment will be paid automatically to everyone over State Pension Age and then clawed back automatically through PAYE or income tax for those whose income exceeds £35,000.

The Announcement at a Glance:

• The Winter Fuel Payment will be restored to all people over State Pension age with an income of £35,000 per year or less for the Winter of 2025/26.
• The payments will be made automatically to households with at least one member over State Pension age by the end of the qualifying week. For the Winter of 2025/26, this is 15-21 September 2025 and means that people born on or before 21st September 1959 will qualify providing their income is £35,000 per year or less.
• Payments will be recovered from via HMRC, PAYE or Self-Assessment tax for individuals with income above the £35,000 threshold. The threshold is based on the individual’s taxable income and the government statement is clear that: ‘there will be no need for household incomes to be aggregated’.
• Payments will be £200 per household or £300 for households where at least one person is aged 80 or over.
• Payments will be made to the main claimant where a means-tested benefit like Pension Credit is in payment.
• Where there is no means-tested benefit in payment, a shared payment will be made to couples, e.g. a couple where each partner is over 80 will each receive £150.
• DWP will develop a system to allow people to opt out from receiving the WFP removing the need for HMRC to recover the payment.

What We Think:

We're pleased and relieved that the Government has changed its policy to reinstate Winter Fuel Payments for pensioners who struggled to cope without it last winter. Working alongside thousands of older people through the Age UK network, we stood up for struggling pensioners.

We know that many pensioners were so frightened about their energy bills that they didn't even try to keep their homes adequately warm last winter, putting their health at risk. We hope this announcement will give older people peace of mind and confidence to run their heating and look after themselves next winter.