Key facts
- Payments range from £100 to £300 for winter 2026/27, per The Independent.
- Eligibility covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland residents with income under £35,000, per The Independent.
- HMRC will reclaim the payment from recipients earning over £35,000 through tax code deductions or self-assessment, per The Independent.
- Five groups are ineligible, including prisoners, long-term hospital patients and some care home residents, per The Independent.
- Pensioners who do not want the payment had until 20 September to opt out, per The Independent.
More than nine million UK pensioners born on or before 1960 are set to receive winter fuel payments of between £100 and £300 for winter 2026/27, The Independent reported on November 11, 2026. Eligible people living in England, Wales or Northern Ireland with an income under £35,000 receive the payment automatically in November or December.
HMRC will reclaim the payment from recipients earning over £35,000, either through tax code deductions spread across the tax year or through self-assessment, according to The Independent. Five groups of pensioners are ineligible, including prisoners, long-term hospital patients and care home residents on certain benefits.
Pensioners who did not wish to receive the winter fuel payment had until 20 September to opt out of the scheme, The Independent reported.