Winter Fuel Payment: 2025 to 2026 heating fuel allowance payments still available from DWP – eligibility
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Some pensioners must submit a claim themselves to receive help with heating costs ❄️
- Thousands of eligible households could still claim £200 or £300 through the Winter Fuel Payment
- Anyone who needs to apply must do so by the March 31, 2026 deadline to avoid missing out
- Most people receive the payment automatically, but some must submit a claim to the DWP
- Eligibility is based on State Pension age and living in England or Wales during a September 2025 qualifying week
- Claims can be made by phone or post, and applicants will need their National Insurance and bank details
Thousands of households could still claim up to £200 or £300 in Winter Fuel Payment support, but the deadline to apply is fast approaching.
Anyone who still needs to make a claim for the 2025–2026 Winter Fuel Payment must do so by Tuesday, March 31, 2026 or risk missing out on the support altogether.
The payment is designed to help older households with heating costs during the colder months and is usually paid automatically to millions of pensioners each year. But some people still need to apply manually to receive the money.
Below is everything you need to know about eligibility, who must apply, and how to claim before the deadline.
Who is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment?
The Winter Fuel Payment is a tax-free payment to help people of State Pension age cover winter energy bills.
To qualify for the 2025–2026 payment, you must generally be born on or before 22 September 1959, have lived in England or Wales during the qualifying week of 15–21 September 2025, and meet certain income conditions if applicable.
Most people receive £200 if they are under 80, or £300 if they are aged 80 or over. The amount can vary depending on living arrangements and whether you live in a care home.
You may also qualify automatically if you receive certain benefits, including:
- State Pension
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
If your annual income is above £35,000, the payment may later be recovered through the tax system.
Who actually needs to apply?
The majority of eligible people do not need to apply because the payment is issued automatically.
But you may need to submit a claim if you have never received a Winter Fuel Payment before, you deferred your State Pension, you do not receive State Pension or qualifying benefits, or you live abroad but still meet eligibility rules.
In these cases, you must make a claim with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
If you normally receive the payment automatically but did not receive it by January 2026, you may also need to contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.
What period does the payment actually cover?
Despite the name, the payment for winter 2025–2026 is based on your circumstances during a specific “qualifying week” of September 15–21, 2025.
If you met the eligibility criteria during that week, you can receive the payment.
Most payments were issued between November and December 2025, giving households financial support during the coldest months of the year, but again, if you did not receive it by January 2026, you may need to contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.
How to apply before the March 31 deadline
If you need to apply, you must submit your claim before March 31, 2026. You can claim in two ways:
- By phone: Call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160.
- By post: Fill in a Winter Fuel Payment claim form and send it to the DWP’s Winter Fuel Payment Centre in Wolverhampton.
Before applying, you will typically need your National Insurance number, your bank or building society details, and information about your circumstances during the qualifying week.
With the Tuesday, March 31 deadline approaching, anyone who still needs to claim should act quickly.
While most eligible pensioners will already have received the payment automatically last winter, those who fall outside the automatic system must apply themselves, otherwise the money will not be paid.
If you think you may qualify but haven’t received the payment yet, it is worth checking your eligibility as soon as possible to avoid missing out on up to £300 in heating support.
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