The UK Government announced in June 2025 that it was expanding the criteria for the Winter Fuel Payment, after the payment had been changed to a means-tested benefit in 20241. Age UK dates the announcement to 9 June 2025 and describes it as a reinstatement2.
The payment is an annual, tax-free lump sum for older people. Energy Saving Trust states that households may be able to get £200 or £300, that eligibility may apply if a person was born before 22 September 1959 and has an income under £35,000 a year, and that those with income over £35,000 will still receive the payment but it will be recovered later through HMRC1. Age UK gives a different birth date, stating that a person qualifies if they were born on or before 27 June 1960, and that they must be living in England or Wales for the qualifying week2. The two sources also differ on where the payment is available: Energy Saving Trust lists England, Wales and Northern Ireland1, while Age UK refers to England and Wales2.
Age UK sets out the qualifying week for winter 2026-27 as Monday 21 until Sunday 27 September 2026, and the payment levels as follows2:
| Household circumstances | Payment |
|---|---|
| At least one qualifying person aged between State Pension age and 79 | £200 |
| At least one qualifying person aged 80 or above | £300 |
"on 9 June 2025, the Government announced that they are reinstating"
Separately, Energy Saving Trust reports that the UK Government is urging people to make sure the right name is on the electricity bill before 24 August 2025, so that the Warm Home Discount is applied in time1. That discount is £150 off an electricity bill for people on certain benefits, applied automatically by the supplier in England and Wales; in Scotland, from winter 2025, it should be applied automatically for those receiving Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, while those on other means-tested benefits are directed to speak to their supplier1. A similar £150 scheme exists for permanent residents of park homes in England, Wales and Scotland, with limited funding allocated first come first served and an application required1. The differences between the two schemes are set out in our guide to the Warm Home Discount versus the Winter Fuel Payment.
Why it matters for households
The Winter Fuel Payment is a cash sum paid towards winter bills, so its eligibility rules determine whether a household receives money at all and how much. The 2024 change to means testing narrowed who received it; the June 2025 announcement widened the criteria again1. For a household near the boundary, the difference between receiving £200 or £300 and receiving nothing is a direct change to the winter budget, and the recovery of the payment through HMRC for those with income over £35,000 means the cash is temporary rather than a permanent addition to income1.
The payment is not a measure that changes a home's energy use. It does not fund insulation, heating controls or a heat pump, and it does not reduce the amount of energy a property needs. Its effect on energy independence is limited to affordability: it offsets part of a bill, which can matter where a household is choosing between heating and other spending. Eligibility for the payment is separate from eligibility for efficiency funding, and the criteria for each are set out in our guide to who qualifies for the Winter Fuel Payment.
What happens next
Age UK states that the qualifying week for winter 2026-27 runs from Monday 21 until Sunday 27 September 20262. Energy Saving Trust states that the right name must be on the electricity bill before 24 August 2025 for the Warm Home Discount to be applied in time1. No further dates for the expanded Winter Fuel Payment criteria have been reported.
Sources2 cited
- Getting help with energy bills when you're disabled - Energy Saving Trust, energysavingtrust.org.uk
- Winter Fuel Payment: eligibility, updates and how to claim | Age UK, ageuk.org.uk