Heating your home

The Winter Fuel Payment or Winter Fuel Allowance is an annual payment to help with heating costs & made to households with someone born on or before the 5 August 1953. It should be paid automatically through your State Pension or another social security benefit (not Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit).

Gov.uk - Winter fuel payment

Recovery of 2025 Winter Fuel Payments

If a customer’s total individual income for the 2025-26 tax year is:  

• £35,000 or less — they will keep their 2025 Winter Fuel Payment 
  
• more than £35,000 — HMRC will take back their 2025 Winter Fuel Payment  
  

If the customer lives in a household with someone else who has also received a payment, we’ll look at each person’s individual income separately. For example, if Person A earns £36,000 and Person B earns £22,000, HMRC will take back the payment from Person A, but Person B will keep their payment.  

HMRC have also provided a calculator on GOV.UK to help customers work out if their total income will be over £35,000. The calculator also tells customers how the payment will be recovered.  

Recovery for PAYE customers 

HMRC will automatically collect the payment through a change to the customer’s tax code from April 2026, unless they already file a Self-Assessment tax return.  

This means we’ll change the customer’s tax code for the 2026 to 2027 tax year. For a typical payment of £200, we’ll deduct approximately £17 per month.  

They don’t need to do anything or call HMRC. 

Please note: In February 2026 customers may receive a notification of their tax code for the 2026 to 2027 tax year which does not yet include adjustments for their winter payment. They do not need to take any action or call HMRC. They should receive an updated tax code, which reflects recovery of their winter payment, in early April 2026.  

Recovery for Self-Assessment customers

HMRC will collect their payment through their Self-Assessment tax return for 2025 to 2026.  

For online filers, where possible HMRC will include the 2025 payment on their online Self-Assessment return which is due by 31 January 2027. It will show as either a Winter Fuel Payment charge or Pension Age Winter Heating Payment charge. Customers should check their winter payment is on their online return and include it themselves if not.  

Paper filers will need to include it on their paper return, which is due by 31 October 2026.  

Opting out of future payments

Anyone who expects their total individual income from their private pension, state pension and any other sources to be over £35,000 can opt out of future payments rather than HMRC take them back. 

Customers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland can opt out of receiving future winter payments via DWP’s online form on GOV.UK from 1 April 2026. 

Further information and support

An explainer video outlining how Winter Fuel Payments or Pension Age Winter Heating Payments will be recovered is available on HMRC’s YouTube channel. 

Further information on HMRC’s recovery approach can be found on GOV.UK.  

General information on Winter Fuel Payments can be found at www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment

Cold Weather Payment is made if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below for 7 consecutive days. You’ll get a payment of £25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March. You could get Cold Weather Payments if you’re getting:

• Pension Credit
• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Universal Credit

Gov.uk - Cold weather payment

Warm Homes Discount is provided by larger energy suppliers to support people who are in or at risk from being in fuel poverty. Some of the smaller utility suppliers also voluntarily participate in the scheme. Through the scheme you could get a £140 one off payment directly applied to your electricity bill. This is in addition to the Winter Fuel & Cold Weather payments.

Gov.uk  - Warm homes discount scheme

Priority Service Register is a free service provided by utility suppliers and network operator. You can receive the assistance if you:

• are of pensionable age
• are disabled or chronically sick
• have a long-term medical condition
• have children living with you under the age of 5
• have a hearing or visual impairment or additional communication needs
• are in a vulnerable situation.

Support varies by both supplier and by an individual’s circumstances, some of the services on offer include:

• Large-format or Braille bills
• Advanced notice of service interruption
• Priority in a power cut
• Quarterly meter readings
• Yearly gas safety checks
• Meter relocation for better access

To sign up for the Priority Services Register you will need to contact all your utility suppliers directly. Their contact details can be found either on their websites or on the bills that you are sent.

The Welsh Government Warm Homes Nest scheme makes Welsh homes warmer and more energy efficient places to live.

Nest provides all households in Wales with free, impartial advice to help you reduce your energy bills, maximise your income, and lower your carbon footprint.

You could also be eligible for free home energy efficiency improvements such as insulation, a heat pump or solar panels.
Call freephone 0808 808 2244 or visit the Nest Wales website.