Pension age
Winter Fuel Payment this winter: who gets what
Your date of birth, who you lived with in the qualifying week and your own income decide it.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How we calculate
For winter 2026 to 2027 the Winter Fuel Payment goes to everyone born on or before 27 June 1960 who usually lives in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, whatever their income. Someone living alone, or with nobody else eligible, receives £200, or £300 if born before 28 September 1946. Two eligible people sharing a home without a means-tested benefit get £100 each, or £150 each if both are in the older group, and people in care homes get £100 or £150. What counts is your situation in the qualifying week, 21 to 27 September 2026. Most people are paid automatically in November or December. If your own total income for the tax year is over £35,000, HMRC takes the payment back through your tax code or tax return; a partner’s income is not added. Scotland pays Pension Age Winter Heating Payment instead.
Winter Fuel Payment, winter 2026 to 2027
£200
Paid automatically to most people in November or December
| Amount paid | £200 |
| Kept after HMRC recovery | £200 |
Scotland pays Pension Age Winter Heating Payment instead, from £106 to £317, with the same £35,000 recovery. Claim deadline for 2026/27 if you are not paid automatically: 31 March 2027.
All the amounts for winter 2026 to 2027
| Your situation in the qualifying week | Born 28 Sept 1946 to 27 June 1960 | Born before 28 Sept 1946 |
|---|---|---|
| Living alone, or nobody else eligible | £200 | £300 |
| You get Pension Credit, UC or income-related ESA on your own | £200 | £300 |
| Couple with a joint award of one of those benefits (paid to one of you) | £200 if both are in this group | £300 if either is |
| Sharing with another eligible person, no such benefit | £100 | £150 if the other person is also older, £200 if not |
| In a care home | £100 | £150 |
How HMRC recovers it
Total income here is income before deductions for the whole tax year: pensions, earnings, savings interest and taxable benefits, but not your partner’s. If you pay tax through PAYE, HMRC adjusts your tax code; GOV.UK gives the example of someone repaying two years at once from January 2027, paying roughly £30 to £33 more tax a month for two £200 payments. On Self Assessment, the amount appears as a Winter Fuel Payment charge.
Other help with heating
People on Pension Credit can also get Cold Weather Payments in very cold spells. In Scotland, Pension Age Winter Heating Payment replaces this payment with slightly higher amounts. None of these is affected by the others, and none reduces other benefits.