Winter Fuel Payment

The Winter Fuel Payment for 2025 to 2026 will be made to everyone in England and Wales born before 22 September 1959, unless you choose not to get it. You could get either £200 or £300 to help you pay your heating bills for winter.

You do not need to do anything - payments will be made automatically.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg) .

If your income is over £35,000, your Winter Fuel Payment will be recovered later through HMRC.

Details of the 2025 to 2026 payment will be available by the end of June 2025.

If you live in Scotland

You cannot get a Winter Fuel Payment. You might be eligible for a similar payment from the Scottish Government.

Other help with heating bills

You could also get:

  • a Cold Weather Payment - if you get certain benefits and the temperature drops to zero degrees Celsius or below for 7 days in a row
  • the Warm Home Discount - this is a £150 discount on your bills if you get Pension Credit or live in a low-income household
  • help from the Household Support Fund, if you’re eligible under your local council’s rules

Part of Plan your retirement income: step by step

  1. Step 1 Check when you can retire

    1. Check what age you can get your State Pension
    2. Find out about working after you reach State Pension age
    3. Find out if you can retire early with your workplace or personal pension

  2. and Check how much pension you could get

    1. Find out how much State Pension you could get (your forecast)

    You may also be paying into a:

    1. Find out if you’ll pay tax on your pension
    2. Find contact details for a lost pension

  3. Step 2 Increase your pension

    You might be able to increase the amount you get if you delay your pension.

    1. Find out about delaying your pension

    You might be able to pay voluntary contributions to fill in gaps in your National Insurance record (such as, from when you were not working or claiming benefits).

    1. Check if you can pay voluntary National Insurance contributions

    For advice about increasing your workplace or private pension, speak to a financial adviser.

    1. Find a financial adviser through Unbiased

  4. Step 3 Check what other financial support you could get

    Check what financial help you could get if you:

    You can also get free bus travel if you:

  5. Step 4 Decide when to retire

    1. Get advice on planning your pension and deciding when to retire