DWP confirms people born before exact date will receive 2025 Winter Fuel Payments

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that individuals born before a specific date will qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment this year. The announcement follows Chancellor Rachel Reeves' recent confirmation that around nine million people, who were previously excluded from receiving the £200–£300 benefit last winter, will now be eligible.

Updated guidance on the Gov.uk website clarifies that those earning over £35,000 will also receive the payment, but the money will be reclaimed later through the tax system. Despite political criticism of the earlier decision to cut the benefit, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer emphasized that the reversal was not due to public pressure.

According to Teesside Live, the DWP stated:

“For the 2025–2026 winter season, anyone in England and Wales born before September 22, 1959, will automatically receive the Winter Fuel Payment unless they opt out. The payment will be either £200 or £300, depending on eligibility, to help cover heating costs.”

Officials added that although all qualifying individuals will receive the payment upfront, those earning above the income threshold will see it recovered via HMRC, though exact recovery methods are yet to be detailed.

“If your income exceeds £35,000, your payment will be reclaimed through the tax system. Further information will be published by the end of June 2025.”

Concerns have been raised this week over the issue of fiscal drag, as the £35,000 threshold will remain frozen and won’t be adjusted for inflation. This could lead to hundreds of thousands of people losing access to the payment during the current parliamentary term.

Financial expert Paul Lewis from BBC Moneybox noted that this frozen threshold will result in more pensioners repaying the benefit each year, comparing it to other fixed caps like bereavement payments, capital limits, child benefit thresholds, and tax brackets.