The Winter Fuel Payment and Warm Home Discount

The Winter Fuel Payment is an annual payment to help you with heating costs during the colder months. 

When the weather is especially cold for a sustained period, you may also be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment.

There is also a Warm Home Discount scheme – an annual payment to help with the cost of energy during the winter. It's designed to make things a bit easier for those living on a low income or pension.

You may also wish to view our information on help with the cost of living.

The Winter Fuel Payment - important government announcement, 9 June 2025

The UK Government has announced that the Winter Fuel Payment will be restored to all people over State Pension age (currently 66 for both men and women) with an income of £35,000 per year or less. This change will apply for the upcoming winter of 2025/26.  

The payments will be made automatically to households with at least one member over State Pension age by the end of the qualifying week. For the winter of 2025/26, this is 15-21 September 2025 and means that people born on or before 21 September 1959 will qualify, providing their income is £35,000 per year or less. 

The £35,000 threshold applies to you as an individual and does not include your partner’s income. The payment you receive will be recovered by HMRC via PAYE or Self-Assessment if your taxable income is over £35,000. 

Payments will be £200 per household, or £300 for households where at least one person is aged 80 or over.  

Payments will be made to the main claimant who is receiving a means-tested benefit such as Pension Credit.  

Where there is no means-tested benefit in payment, a shared payment will be made to couples. For example, where both partners in a couple are over 80, they will receive £150 each. 

DWP will develop a system to allow people to opt out from receiving the Winter Fuel Payment removing the need for HMRC to recover the payment. 

This page is currently under review. Please check back for more updates. 

The Warm Home Discount Scheme

The Warm Home Discount is a one-off payment of £150 to help with the cost of energy during the winter. It's designed to make things a bit easier if you're living on a low income or pension.

Getting a Warm Home Discount doesn't affect your entitlement to a Winter Fuel Payment or Cold Weather Payment.

If your electricity supplier is part of the Warm Home Discount scheme then you don't need to apply for it – you'll get the payment automatically if you or your partner receive the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit, or another qualifying benefit, and have high energy costs.

The money won't be paid to you directly – it'll be added as credit to your electricity account. This usually happens between October and March (you might be able to get the discount applied to your gas bill if you're a dual-fuel customer – i.e. you have a combined plan for gas and electricity with the same supplier).

If you use a prepayment meter, you'll probably be given a top-up voucher.

Some suppliers also offer indirect help to customers as part of the Warm Home Discount scheme. This might include advice on using less energy and help with reducing energy-related debts.

Am I eligible for the Warm Home Discount?

To qualify for the Warm Home Discount, you or your partner must have an account with a participating electricity supplier and one of you must claim one of the following:

• the Guarantee Credit portion of Pension Credit
• a different 'qualifying benefit' (if you have high energy costs).

The qualifying benefits include the Savings Credit portion of Pension Credit, Universal Credit and Housing Benefit.

If you claim a qualifying benefit, the government will assess your energy costs based on the type, age and size of your property. This happens on a specific date, known as the 'qualifying date'. 

Check if you're eligible for the Warm Home Discount on GOV.UK

You might not be eligible for the Warm Home Discount if you live in a more energy-efficient property, even if you receive a qualifying benefit (though this doesn't apply to recipients of the Guarantee Credit portion of Pension Credit). 

If you think the energy costs assessment is inaccurate, you can challenge it by getting in touch with the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 030 9322.

How to claim the Warm Home Discount

Most eligible households will receive the Warm Home Discount automatically.

If you're eligible, you'll receive a letter between November and January telling you about the discount. Then, your electricity supplier will automatically apply the discount to your bill by the end of March. 

This is different from previous years when you had to claim the money from your supplier if you weren't claiming the Guarantee Credit portion of Pension Credit.

If you haven't received a letter by mid-January and you think you're eligible, then you can contact the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 030 9322.