State pensioners under 80 handed automatic £200 by DWP | Personal Finance | Finance
State pensioners under the age of 80 will be handed automatic £200 payments from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) this winter. The money is a Winter Fuel Payment that will roll out to eligible pensioners in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from November to help pay heating bills over the winter. The eligibility criteria for winter 2026/27 has been confirmed by the DWP, with eligible pensioners born before June 28, 1960, set to automatically receive a lump sum of between £100 and £300 later this year.
The exact amount pensioners will receive from the DWP depends on when your birthday falls and your individual circumstances, but those aged under 80 and living alone will typically be awarded a £200 payment. According to the DWP eligibility criteria for winter 2026/27, born between September 28, 1946 and June 27, 1960, who live alone, will receive a £200 Winter Fuel Payment. This is also the case if you’re born between these dates and no one else you live with is eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment.
For older pensioners (those aged 80 or over) living alone and born before September 28, 1946, the Winter Fuel Payment will be £300. Again, this is the amount you’ll get if you’re born before this date and no one else you live with is eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment.
For those who live with someone else who is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, payment amounts will vary from £100 to £200, depending on individual circumstances.
If you get Pension Credit, Universal Credit or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) then your payment amount may be different.
Most pensioners who receive the following 12 benefits will receive the Winter Fuel Payment automatically in November or December, and don’t need to do anything to claim it:
- State Pension
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- Attendance Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Carer’s Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- awards from the War Pensions Scheme
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
- Incapacity Benefit
- Industrial Death Benefit
If you don’t get any of these, then you will need to submit a claim for the payment if either of the following applies:
- You’ve not got the Winter Fuel Payment before
- You’ve deferred your State Pension since your last Winter Fuel Payment
The DWP will send letters to eligible pensioners in October or November confirming the payment amount, and this will then be paid before the end of the year.
The DWP said: “Most payments are made automatically in November or December. You should get a letter telling you:
- How much will you get
- 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 who have a total income over £35,000 will see the Winter Fuel Payment automatically taken back by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) either by changing your tax code, or adding the amount to your Self Assessment tax return.
To opt out of getting a Winter Fuel Payment, pensioners need to either complete an opt out form before 11.59pm on September 20, 2026, or call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre before 6pm on September 18, 2026.
