Winter Fuel Payment Calculator
Check your Winter Fuel Payment for 2025/26 — £200, or £300 where someone is 80 or over — and whether the new £35,000 income clawback applies to you.
Winter Fuel Payment checker
2025/26 rules, including the £35,000 income clawback.
A guide only. Check eligibility and how the clawback works on GOV.UK Winter Fuel Payment.
Who gets the Winter Fuel Payment in 2025/26?
The Winter Fuel Payment is a tax-free lump sum to help older people with heating costs over winter. For winter 2025/26 it is paid to households where someone has reached State Pension age (born before 22 September 1959). After the eligibility U-turn, around nine million pensioners receive it again — but if your individual taxable income is over £35,000, the payment is recovered through the tax system.
The Winter Fuel Payment is £200 per household, rising to £300 if someone in the household is 80 or over. Where a couple both qualify, the household payment is normally split between them. Anyone with income over £35,000 keeps it initially but has it clawed back via PAYE or Self Assessment.
2025/26 Winter Fuel Payment amounts
| Household | 2025/26 |
|---|---|
| Someone of State Pension age, under 80 | £200 |
| Someone aged 80 or over | £300 |
| Income clawback threshold | £35,000 / person |
| Qualifying week | mid-September 2025 |
Source: GOV.UK — Winter Fuel Payment.
The £35,000 income clawback
From winter 2025/26, the Winter Fuel Payment is still paid automatically to eligible pensioners, but anyone whose individual taxable income exceeds £35,000 has the value recovered by HMRC — either through their tax code or Self Assessment. You can also choose to opt out of the payment if you would rather not receive it and have it reclaimed. Most people on lower incomes simply keep the full amount.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Winter Fuel Payment for 2025/26?
It is £200 per household where someone is of State Pension age, or £300 if someone in the household is 80 or over. Where a qualifying couple live together, the payment is usually split between them.
Who is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment?
You qualify if you were born before 22 September 1959 (State Pension age) and lived in the UK during the qualifying week in September 2025. Most eligible people are paid automatically in November or December.
What is the £35,000 income rule?
For 2025/26 the payment is made to all eligible pensioners, but if your individual taxable income is over £35,000 the value is recovered by HMRC through your tax code or Self Assessment. You can opt out instead if you prefer.
Do I need to claim the Winter Fuel Payment?
Most people get it automatically if they receive the State Pension or another benefit. You only need to claim if you have not had it before and do not get a qualifying benefit. Claims for 2025/26 are made through GOV.UK.
Is the Winter Fuel Payment taxable?
The payment itself is tax-free, but for 2025/26 it is subject to the £35,000 income clawback. If your income is below that threshold you keep the whole amount with nothing to repay.