DWP Confirmed Up to £300 Winter Fuel Payments for People Born Before This Date: Millions of Britons are set to get a financial boost this winter with £300 on offer from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Those eligible include individuals of a certain age group and with particular income levels. For the 2025/26 Winter Fuel Payment, the DWP has confirmed that the qualifying week will be 15-21 September.
DWP Confirmed Up to £300 Winter Fuel Payments
Nine million pensioners are in line to get a winter fuel payment worth £300 from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) this winter, thanks to a change to eligibility rules. HM Treasury has confirmed an increase in the income threshold that will mean over three-quarters of pensioners in England and Wales will now qualify for the payment this winter.
Details about the adjustments to Winter Fuel Payment are expected soon, with assurances from Swinney that “the administration has pledged to give every one of Scotland’s pensioners”. One of Scotland’s 1.1 million retirees at least £100 on St Andrew’s Day, November 30. Specifically, individuals aged 66-79 claiming eligible means-tested benefits, such as Pension Credit, will get £203.40, while those aged 80+ on the same benefits will get £305.10.
| Eligibility | Details |
| Income threshold | £35,000 per year or less |
| Payment Amount | £200 per household, £300 for over 80s |
| Automatic Payment | Yes, no action required for qualifying pensioners |
| For Higher-Income Pensioners | Amount reclaimed by HMRC via PAYE or self-assessment return. |
| Cost | £1.25 billion for England and Wales |
What is the winter fuel payment?
The Winter Fuel Payment is an annual government grant given to eligible pensioners to help with their energy costs during the colder months. The payment, which is typically distributed in November or December, can be as much as £300 for pensioners over 80 years old. However, in the 2024/25 period, the means testing rules will affect who gets the payment.
What changed in 2024/25?
Previously all pensioners over the state pension age were automatically eligible for the payment. However, last year, the government introduced a means-tested approach to reduce costs of the payment. The new rules aimed to target the most vulnerable pensioners, but this policy drew criticism. As a result, a U-turn was made, allowing a larger group of pensioners to get the payment, but not without some key exceptions.
Who will get the Winter Fuel Payment in 2024/25?
- The revised winter fuel payment policy means that pensioners with incomes of £35,000 or less will automatically qualify for the £300 payment.
- This includes around nine million pensioners in England and Wales, which amounts to over three-quarters of the pensioner population.
- This expansion of eligibility will cost £1.25 billion but is expected to save approximately £450 million by targeting higher-income pensioners who will need to pay the amount back.
- The payment will remain the same as before: £200 per household, with an extra £100 for pensioners over the age of 80.
Winter Fuel Payments for People Born Before This Date:
The winter fuel payment for 2025 to 2026 will be made to everyone in England and Wales born before September 22, 1959, unless you choose not to get it. You could get either £200 or £300 to help you pay your heating bills for winter.
Designed to aid older folk with an income under £35,000 annually, the payment is nevertheless available to higher earners who have the option to decline the amount or reimburse it via their self-assessment tax return through HM Revenue and Customs. There’s no need for any application, as these payments will be made automatically.
How the winter fuel payment will be Funded
The payment is financed through means testing and the reclaiming of funds from pensioners above the income threshold. The government assures that this approach will help meet fiscal targets without increasing permanent borrowing.
According to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, this decision was necessary due to the inheritance from the previous government. It is seen as a fair approach to ensure those with lower incomes benefit most.
Conclusion
In this article we discussed the DWP confirming up to £300 in Winter Fuel Payments for people born before September 22, 1959, unless you choose not to get it. Previously all pensioners over the state pension age were automatically eligible for the payment. For the 2025/26 Winter Fuel Payment, the DWP has confirmed that the qualifying week will be 15-21 September. Pensioners earning £35,000 or less will automatically qualify for the £300 Winter Fuel Payment.