People expecting to get their Winter Fuel Payment in the coming weeks have been urged to look out for a message. The payment ranges from £100 to £300 and is due to go out in November or December. Most people who are eligible get the payment automatically but some people need to apply for the cash.
Unfortunately, scammers are taking advantage of the scheme to try and dupe people into handing over their information. A warning on the Government website explains: « You may get calls, emails or messages that are pretending to be from a Government service.
« If you get a message asking for your personal details (for example, bank details or passwords) this could be a scam. Report anything you think is suspicious. » People have reported receiving bogus messages about the scheme in recent days.
One person received a text message that reads: « Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed your eligibilty for the Winter Fuel Payment covering the 2025-2026 period.
« The allowance ranges from £200 to £300 and will be issued as a single payment to assist with heating and rising energy bills. » The message goes on to invite the person to apply for the payment, stating there is an October deadline to do this.
The text includes a link to a fake website for the person to fill in their details. You can tell this message is fake as the actual payment ranges from £100 to £300, although it has ranged from £200 to £300 previously.
The deadline to claim is actually March 31, 2026. You can apply by post now and over the phone from October 13, 2025.
Who is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment?
People in England and Wales can get the Winter Fuel Payment if you were born before September 22, 1959. Most people will get the cash automatically, such as if you claim certain Government benefits such as the state pension, Pension Credit or Universal Credit.
There is no need to claim if you get one of these benefits:
- State pension
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- Attendance Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Carer’s Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Income Support
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Awards from the War Pensions Scheme
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
- Incapacity Benefit
- Industrial Death Benefit.
However, if you do not get any of these, you will need to claim if either you have not had the Winter Fuel Payment before, or if you have deferred your state pension since you last received the payment.
You can claim by filling in the online form or by calling the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160.
