The amount you get is based on when you were born and your circumstances between September 15 and 21, 2025. This is called the ‘qualifying week’
Alex Evans Deputy Audience Editor
11:18, 06 Jul 2025Updated 18:07, 06 Jul 2025
State pensioners born in these years will get an instant £100 Winter Fuel Payment(Image: WPA Pool, Getty Images)
Millions of state pensioners were deprived of their £300 Winter Fuel Payment last winter, a fact that has been widely reported since the government declared the benefit would be means-tested. This meant that the vast majority of state pensioners could no longer receive a winter fuel allowance payment unless they claimed the appropriate benefits.
Subsequently, Sir Keir Starmer announced a partial reversal over the benefit, reinstating the £200 or £300 payment to every state pensioner, and then reclaiming it from pensioners in tax if they earn more than £35,000 per annum. This implies that every state pensioner will receive the money, and only those earning £35,000 or more annually will have to return it to HMRC in tax.
However, what many may not realise is that if you do retain your Winter Fuel Payment this coming winter, the exact amount you initially receive varies depending on the year you were born, and possibly due to other circumstances as well.
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The Winter Fuel Payment will once again be automatically paid to all state pensioners in 2025, but the amount varies based on your age. Those who are of state pension age but under 80, so born on or before 21 September 1959, will receive a £200 payment, whereas those aged over 80 – so born on 21 September 1944 or earlier – will get an immediate £100 increase, giving them a £300 payment instead, reports the Express.
The amount you receive depends on your age and circumstances during the ‘qualifying week’ of September 15 to 21, 2025. If you’re currently over 80 and eligible, your Winter Fuel Payment will rise from £200 to £300.
Most qualifying individuals will be notified by letter about the payment amount and the bank account it will be deposited into, typically the same one used for Pension Credit or other benefits. Age UK has advised: “Payments are automatic you do not need to do anything. If you have not received your Winter Fuel Payment by January 2026, you can make a claim before 31 March 2026. Contact the Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 0800 731 0160.”