The Government is changing the eligibility criteria for Winter Fuel Payments in 2025. Find everything you need to know and check if you’re eligible.
Disclaimer: This content was true at the time of writing, but may now have changed.
Winter Fuel Payments will be granted to around nine million pensioners this year, and will be based on a person’s age and income. Read more about the changes and see if you qualify.
How much is the Winter Fuel Payment for 2025?
The Winter Fuel Payment is a payment towards the cost of heating bills for people living in England and Wales. Households with someone between State Pension age and 79 will receive £200, and households with someone over 80 will receive £300.
It has been confirmed that pensioners in Northern Ireland will be able to receive a Winter Fuel Payment in the same way as those in England and Wales.
Winter Fuel Payment is not available in Scotland. Pension Age Winter Heating Payment replaces Winter Fuel Payment for people in Scotland and will be paid by Social Security Scotland from winter 2025.
How are the Winter Fuel Payments changing in 2025?
In 2024, the Government announced cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment scheme, making it only payable to people receiving Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits.
However, on 9 June 2025, it was announced that the Winter Fuel Payments for 2025 will be extended to over three quarters of pensioners. Find out if you’re eligible below.
2025 Winter Fuel Payment eligibility changes
Eligibility is based on a person’s age and place of residence during the qualifying week. For winter 2025/26, the qualifying week will be 15 to 21 September 2025.
A person needs to have reached State Pension age by the end of the qualifying week to be eligible, as well as have an income of, or below, £35,000 a year.
For households not getting an income-related benefit like Pension Credit, they’ll get a shared payment. For example, if both people in a couple are under 80 years old (but over State Pension age) and not on Pension Credit, they’ll receive a payment of £100 each.
If you’re eligible, you don’t need to apply for the Winter Fuel Payment in 2025 – it’ll be automatically paid to you.
Pensioners above the new £35,000 per year income threshold will have the full amount of the Winter Fuel Payment they received automatically collected via PAYE, or via their Self-Assessment return. Pensioners who want to opt out and not receive the payment at all, will be able to do so, with details to be confirmed later.
What is Pension Credit and how is it linked to Winter Fuel Payments?
Pension Credit is a means-tested benefit that provides extra support for pensioners on low incomes. In 2024 when cuts were made to Winter Fuel Payments, receiving Pension Credit was a key factor in receiving Winter Fuel Payments. However, for 2025/2026, this specific criteria no longer applies.
We still recommend using the Pension Credit calculator. Thousands of people entitled to Pension Credit are not currently claiming it, so checking your eligibility could open up doors to more financial support.
How can I get support?
Although the 2025 Winter Fuel Payment changes will mean that more people will be eligible than in 2024, some people may still be worried about their finances over winter. Here are ways to get more support to help you through the colder months:
1. Check if you’re eligible for extra benefits
Did you know that you could be entitled to benefits you don’t know about? Use our confidential and free benefits calculator to ensure you’re not missing out on valuable financial support. In just a few minutes, you can find out if you qualify for extra income. To date, over 24,000 people have uncovered benefits they didn’t realise were available to them.
You may also want to see if you’re eligible for the Cold Weather Payment or Warm Home Discount.
2. Check if you’re eligible for free grants
Don’t miss out on grants that don’t need to be repaid. The Turn2us Grants Search can help you find funding opportunities you may qualify for. Even a small amount of extra income could make a big difference, especially during the winter months.
3. Get more support
If you won’t be receiving the Winter Fuel Payment in 2025 and are worried about how this might affect you or your finances, don’t struggle alone. Get help near you through CAP and find ways to manage your money or access expert debt help.
If you just need someone to talk to, reach out to friends, family, or call Samaritans for free on 116 123. You may also find additional support in your community through your local church.
