Winter Fuel Payment
A winter fuel payment can help you pay your heating bills. If you are eligible, you could get either £200 or £300 to help you pay your heating bills for winter 2024 to 2025. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.
UK Government, DWP, or the Department for Communities will never ask for your bank details by text, email or via links to click within a text or email.
If you have had a message like this, it may be a scam. You should report any suspicious emails or text messages asking for your bank details
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/reporting-scam
If you are eligible, you will normally get the Winter Fuel Payment automatically and you will get a letter in October or November 2024 saying how much you will get.
You could get a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2024 to 2025 if you were born before 23 September 1958.
You may be eligible if you or your partner are currently in receipt of any of the following benefits:
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit
If you are eligible, you’ll normally get the Winter Fuel Payment automatically and you will get a letter in October or November saying how much you will get.
You will not get the extra Pensioner Cost of Living Payment given in 2022 and 2023. It stopped in winter 2023.
If you do not get a letter but you think you are eligible, check if you need to make a claim.
Deadline for Winter 2024 to 2025
The deadline to make a claim for winter 2024 to 2025 is 31 March 2025
Claims for winter 2023 to 2024 have closed.
When you’ll be paid
If you do not get a letter or the money has not been paid into your account by 29 January 2025, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre
Any money you get will not affect your other benefits.
Winter Fuel Payments are different to Cold Weather Payments.
If you live in Northern Ireland
Most people get the Winter Fuel Payment automatically if they’re eligible.
You do not need to claim if you get any of the following:
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- Income Support
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
If you live in Switzerland or an eligible EEA country
Eligibility rules if you live abroad are changing for winter 2024. Once available, they will be published at Winter Fuel Payment: If you live abroad.
Find out more about Winter Fuel Payment on the following pages:
Find out more about Winter Fuel Payment on the following pages: