Certain groups of people may have to apply for the newly reinstated £300 winter fuel payment – which is set to be paid in November and December
A BBC specialist has shed light on how certain people may need to apply for the reinstated £300 winter fuel payment. On BBC Morning Live, Coletta Smith clarified the eligibility criteria following Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ announcement that an additional nine million state pensioners who were overlooked last year will receive the payment in 2025.
The funds are due to be distributed in November and December of this year, with most qualifying recipients receiving either £200 or £300 automatically. However, Smith noted that some people might not receive it automatically and should verify their eligibility with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
BBC’s cost of living correspondent Colletta Smith said: “Those eligible are people who earn now £35,000 or less, so it’s a much higher threshold as a pensioner. So if you are getting some form of private pension, workplace pension, as long as you’re below that threshold of £35,000, you’ll still get the winter fuel payments.
“And crucially, it will come automatically. So like it used to. Previously, you didn’t have to apply for it. It just pops into your bank accounts come the beginning of November onwards, so you don’t have to worry about any complicated forms to fill in.”
The correspondent advised that certain people will need to update their information in order to receive the funds, despite being entitled, reports Cambridgeshire Live. She said: “There will be a small number of people who might need to update their details.
“So if you have deferred your state pension, if you’ve lived abroad recently and have moved back, it’s probably worth contacting the government to make sure that you do get that payment. For everybody else, you won’t have to apply for it.”
Upon announcing the measure, the DWP has since revised its guidelines, clearly indicating for the first time who will be beneficiaries of the financial boost. DWP representatives clarified the eligibility criteria based on date of birth: “The Winter Fuel Payment for 2025 to 2026 will be made to everyone in England and Wales born before 22 September 1959, unless you choose not to get it.
“You could get either £200 or £300 to help you pay your heating bills for winter.” They further assured: “You do not need to do anything – payments will be made automatically.”
However, they cautioned high earners that the amount distributed would be reclaimed through HMRC, although specific recovery mechanisms were not disclosed. According to the information provided, it said: “If your income is over £35,000, your Winter Fuel Payment will be recovered later through HMRC. Details of the 2025 to 2026 payment will be available by the end of June 2025.”
Ms Smith explained that individuals with earnings above the threshold may opt out of receiving the payment to avoid repayment. She clarified: “If you earn £35,000 or above, there is a way of ticking a box to say that you don’t want to receive the payment in the first place, but otherwise, the payment will come through automatically, and then it will be clawed back through the tax system. So you will be taxed a bit more on your pensions to get that £200 taken back off you effectively.”
Ms Smith also highlighted a critical period for eligibility: “The crucial week we all need to remember is between the 15th and the 25th of September. So if you have had your birthday by the 21st of September and you’ve become a state pensioner, then at that point you qualify for the winter fuel payment this coming winter. So it’s that week that’s the what they call the qualifying week. 15th to 21st, September.”