Winter Fuel Payment

If you were born on or before 5 November 1953 you could get between £100 and £300 to help you pay your heating bills. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.

You usually get a Winter Fuel Payment automatically if you are eligible and you get the State Pension or another social security benefit (not Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit).

If you’re eligible but do not get paid automatically, you will need to make a claim.

The deadline for claiming payments for winter 2018 to 2019 is 31 March 2019

Most payments are made automatically between November and December. You should get your money by 14 January 2019.

If you do not get your payment, call the office that pays your benefits - their details are on any letters they sent you.

Any money you get will not affect your other benefits.

If you need to claim

You can claim Winter Fuel Payment by phone or by post.

If you’ve claimed Winter Fuel Payment before, you should get it automatically from the office that pays your benefits. Contact them if you have any questions or your circumstances have changed.

Claim for the first time by phone

Call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre to claim by phone.

Winter Fuel Payment Centre Email enquiry form Telephone: 0800 731 0160 Telephone from outside the UK: +44 (0)191 218 7777 Textphone: 0800 731 0464 Textphone from outside the UK: +44 (0)191 218 7280 NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0160