Winter Fuel Payment claims open for winter 2026/27

Claims for the Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2026/27 opened on 21 September 2026 and close on 31 March 2027, according to the British Gas Energy Trust and Turn2us¹. Most eligible households do not need to claim: payments are made automatically to people receiving certain benefits, with letters expected in October or November and most payments made in November or December¹.

For winter 2026/27, eligibility in England, Wales and Northern Ireland rests on being born on or before 27 June 1960 and normally living in one of those nations¹. Uswitch gives the birth date as on or before 28 June 1960 and states the payment covers England and Wales, while noting Northern Ireland customers are covered by a scheme managed by the Northern Ireland Executive with the same amounts and rules³. The Trust states Winter Fuel Payment does not apply in Scotland, where the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment is paid instead¹.

Payments range from £100 to £300, with higher amounts for older pensioners and some people who live alone¹. Uswitch sets out the amounts by household type³:

The Scottish Pension Age Winter Heating Payment ranges from £105.55 to £316.70 and requires having lived in Scotland on the last day of the qualifying week, 21 to 27 September 2026¹. Most people receive it automatically, with payments expected from November 2026; a small number, including some couples receiving benefits jointly, must apply by 31 March 2027¹.

A £35,000 personal income threshold applies across the schemes. Where income exceeds that level for the tax year, the government recovers the full value of the payment, usually through the tax code or self assessment¹. Uswitch notes the payment is tax-free and does not affect other benefits³. Turn2us advises claimants to have their national insurance number, marriage or civil partnership date and bank details to hand, and to report any time spent in hospital, a residential care home or prison during the qualifying week of 21 to 27 September 2026².

"You can claim a 2026/27 Winter Fuel Payment from 21 September 2026."

Why it matters for households

The Winter Fuel Payment is paid directly and is not deducted from bills, so for households that receive it, it offsets part of the winter heating cost without changing the tariff or the meter. Because most payments arrive automatically in November or December, households already receiving State Pension, Pension Credit or certain other benefits generally see no change to their routine¹. Those who did not receive a payment last winter, or who have deferred their State Pension since, are the main groups who need to act within the claim window².

The £35,000 income recovery means the payment is not a universal entitlement in practice, and households above that threshold may see it clawed back later rather than kept¹. Scotland's separate Pension Age Winter Heating Payment and Winter Heating Payment, worth £62 for people on certain benefits, mean the support available depends on where in the UK a household lives¹. Cold Weather Payments, worth £25 for each seven-day period averaging 0°C or below, run from 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and are separate from the Winter Fuel Payment¹.

What happens next

Letters are expected in October or November 2026, with most payments made in November or December 2026¹. Uswitch states that if no letter or payment has arrived by 27 January 2027, householders can contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre³. The claim deadline is 31 March 2027¹. The Warm Home Discount, a £150 electricity bill discount applied by suppliers, is due to reopen in October 2026¹.

Sources3 cited

1. Energy Bill Support This Winter: What Help Is Available for 2026/27?, britishgasenergytrust.org.uk
2. How do I claim a Winter Fuel Payment? | Turn2us, turn2us.org.uk
3. Winter Fuel Payment 2026-27: eligibility & how to claim - Uswitch, uswitch.com