Matutei · Independent publisher
Updated 25 Oct 2026 · Source: GOV.UK
If you’ve read the first part, you already know most people get the Winter Fuel Payment automatically.
Here’s how to check whether you’re one of the people who need to claim — and what to do next.
👀 Who can claim
For winter 2026 to 2027, you need to be born on or before 27 June 1960.
You must usually live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland during the qualifying week, which is 21 to 27 September 2026.
⚠️ Pay attention here: if you were abroad or in hospital for a long stretch, the rules can change.
📋 Important rules
You usually don’t need to claim if you get the State Pension, Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Attendance Allowance or Personal Independence Payment.
You may need to claim if you get none of those and have never had the payment before.
The same applies if you put off (deferred) your State Pension since your last payment. This is where many people slip up.
🧾 What to have ready
Claiming isn’t complicated, but it helps to have a few things to hand before you start.
Keep your National Insurance number and your bank account details nearby.
It’s also useful to know roughly where you lived during the qualifying week.
If someone helps you with paperwork, they can sit with you while you call — it often makes things faster.
⚙️ How to claim
Claims for this winter opened on 21 September 2026.
You can claim by post, using the form on GOV.UK, or by phone through the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.
Calling is usually quicker if you have everything ready.
After you claim, you’ll get a decision by letter. If you think it’s wrong, you can ask for it to be looked at again.
👉 SEE HOW TO CLAIM⏱️ Dates and timing
If you’re eligible, a letter usually arrives in October or November.
Most payments are made in November or December.
If nothing has arrived by 27 January 2027, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. If you think you should have been paid, act early — GOV.UK shows the current claim deadline.
💷 After it’s paid
If your own income is over £35,000, the payment is taken back through the tax system.
HMRC usually does this through your tax code, or through your Self Assessment if you fill one in.
Your partner’s income doesn’t count — only yours. That detail surprises a lot of couples.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Assuming it’s automatic for everyone, and never checking.
Missing the deadline because the letter never came.
Replying to a text message or link that asks for bank details — the payment is never claimed that way.
🧠 Good to know
People in Scotland don’t get the Winter Fuel Payment. They have the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment instead, with its own rules on mygov.scot.
And if your situation changes during the year, it’s worth checking again next winter.
Once you’ve had the payment, it usually keeps coming each year without a new claim, as long as nothing important changes.
Matutei is an independent publisher, not affiliated with the UK government. Official information is on GOV.UK.