State pensioners handed automatic £300 payments under Andy Burnham | Personal Finance | Finance
State pensioners will be handed automatic payments of up to £300 under Andy Burnham’s government.
The cash boost comes from the 2026/27 rollout of Winter Fuel Payments which will be issued to eligible pensioners in England and Wales from November. The payments, which are worth between £100 and £300, are to help pensioner households with heating costs during the colder months when energy bills can become expensive. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed the eligibility criteria for winter 2026/27 payments earlier this year, with the money to be issued to eligible pensioners under Burnham’s government.
The new Prime Minister took up the top job on Monday (July 20) and has vowed to lead a ‘cost of living government’ to help ease the pressure on household budgets.
Winter Fuel Payments are one such cost of living measure that provide a valuable financial boost to pensioners, and these are expected to proceed as planned later this year.
Eligibility criteria confirmed by the DWP states that anyone born before June 28, 1960, will receive a payment between £100 and £300 to help pay for heating bills for winter 2026 to 2027.
The exact amount that pensioners receive depends on their age and individual circumstances, but those who live alone and were born before September 28, 1946, will receive £300, while those born between September 28, 1946 and June 27, 1960, will receive £200.
If you get Pension Credit, Universal Credit or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) then your payment amount may be different.
The DWP will send out letters to pensioner households from October confirming the payment amount, and the money will then be paid into accounts automatically in November and December.
Confirming the payments for winter 2026/27, the DWP said: “Most payments are made automatically in November or December. You should get a letter telling you:
which bank account it will be paid into – this is usually the same account as your State Pension or other benefits
“If you do not get a letter or the money has not been paid into your account by 27 January 2027, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.”
Pensioners with a total income over £35,000 will have their Winter Fuel Payment automatically taken back by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), either by a change in tax code or by adding the amount to Self Assessment tax returns.
To avoid this, pensioners can opt out of getting a Winter Fuel Payment by completing an online opt out form before 11.5pm on September 20, 2026, or by calling the helpline before 6pm on September 18, 2026. You’ll need to provide your National Insurance number when you do this.
You don’t need to opt out every year and won’t receive a Winter Fuel Payment in future years unless you choose to opt back in.
