State pensioners who won’t get £300 Winter Fuel Payment unless they ask

Detailed summary

Some state pensioners will have to ask the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for a Winter Fuel Payment of up to £300 this winter, even if they are eligible for it. All…

Some state pensioners will have to ask the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for a Winter Fuel Payment of up to £300 this winter, even if they are eligible for it.

All pensioners born on or before June 27, 1960, will be eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment this year, which is worth between £100 and £300 depending on your age and circumstances. Of course, pensioners should be aware that if their total individual annual income is over £35,000, the Winter Fuel Payment will be clawed back by HMRC despite receiving the cash. The DWP has confirmed that it will start issuing Winter Fuel Payments from mid-November and while in most cases pensioners will get it automatically, some who are eligible will have to ask for the payment.

According to the DWP, pensioners will need to make a claim asking for a Winter Fuel Payment this year if they have deferred their State Pension and they don’t get another qualifying DWP benefit, or they are directly asked by the DWP to make a claim.

If you receive any of the following 12 qualifying benefits then you don’t need to claim the Winter Fuel Payment this year and will receive it automatically from mid-November:

But if you don’t get any of these, you will need to ask the DWP for your Winter Fuel Payment. You can do this by filling in a claim form and sending it by post, or via phone by calling the Winter Fuel Payment centre on 0800 731 0160.

Confirming who will need to make a Winter Fuel Payment claim in fresh guidance issued this month, the DWP said: “You will get a letter in October or November explaining what the total amount is and how it will be paid.

“Your automatic payment will go into the same account as your Pension or other benefits. Payments will be made from mid-November 2026 onwards. Most eligible people will get paid automatically without having to make a claim. You will need to make a claim if:

“If your total income is over £35,000 per year, HMRC will recover your Winter Fuel Payment. This will be done through the tax system.”

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