Winter Fuel Payment, Warm Home Discount, Cold Weather Payment 2026/27

For winter 2026/27, the Winter Fuel Payment is £100 to £300 for people born on or before 27 June 1960 who live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. It is paid automatically in November or December 2026, but HMRC takes it back if the person’s own income is over £35,000. The Warm Home Discount is a separate £150 off the electricity bill for people on Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits. Cold Weather Payments add £25 for each 7-day freezing spell. Scotland has its own Pension Age Winter Heating Payment instead.

In short

• Winter Fuel Payment 2026/27: £200 for someone born 28 September 1946 to 27 June 1960, or £300 if born before 28 September 1946, when living alone or with no other eligible person.
• The qualifying week was 21 to 27 September 2026. If total income is over £35,000, HMRC recovers the payment through the tax code or Self Assessment. A partner’s income does not count.
• Warm Home Discount: £150 off electricity for anyone getting Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Housing Benefit or income-related ESA on 23 August 2026 (England and Wales). It is applied by 31 March 2027.
• Cold Weather Payment: £25 for each 7-day period averaging 0°C or below, between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027, for people on qualifying benefits.
• In Scotland, the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment is £105.55 to £316.70. Cold Weather Payments are replaced there by a £62.00 Winter Heating Payment.
• Pension Credit is the gateway to most of this help, and many eligible older people still do not claim it.

Winter Fuel Payment 2026/27: who gets what

Your parent qualifies if they were born on or before 27 June 1960 and usually lived in England, Wales or Northern Ireland during the qualifying week of 21 to 27 September 2026. The amount depends on their age, whether they live with another eligible person, whether they get Pension Credit, Universal Credit or income-related ESA, and whether they live in a care home.

Most people do not need to claim. The payment comes automatically if they get the State Pension or another social security benefit such as Attendance Allowance, Pension Credit or Carer’s Allowance. A letter arrives in October or November. Anyone who has never had the payment and gets none of those benefits, or who deferred their State Pension, must claim by phone on 0800 731 0160 or by post. The deadline is 31 March 2027. If nothing has arrived by 27 January 2027, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.

The £35,000 income rule

Since 2025, everyone eligible receives the payment, but HMRC takes it back from anyone whose own total income for the tax year is over £35,000. Income is counted per person, so a partner’s income does not count. HMRC usually collects it by adjusting the tax code. People who file Self Assessment repay it through their tax return as a “Winter Fuel Payment charge”. The opt-out window for 2026/27 has closed. Opting out for 2027/28 opens on 21 December 2026.

Worked examples

• Margaret, 84, lives alone, income £19,000: gets £300 and keeps it.
• Ken, 70, and Sue, 68, married, no means-tested benefits: each gets £100, so £200 for the household. Ken’s income is £38,000, so HMRC recovers his £100. Sue’s income is £14,000, so she keeps hers.
• Alan, 81, in a care home since 2025, on Pension Credit: gets nothing. Residents on Pension Credit, Universal Credit or income-related ESA who were in the home throughout from 29 June 2026 or earlier are excluded.

Warm Home Discount 2026/27

The Warm Home Discount is a one-off £150 taken off the electricity bill. It is not paid as cash. In England and Wales, your parent qualifies if, on 23 August 2026, they or their partner got Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, income-related ESA or Pension Credit, their name or their partner’s was on the electricity bill, and their supplier is in the scheme. All the large suppliers are. Most people get it automatically.

• Letters go out between late October 2026 and early January 2027.
• If the letter asks for more information, call the helpline on 0800 030 9322 by 26 February 2027.
• The supplier applies the discount by 31 March 2027. On a prepayment meter, it usually comes as a voucher or a top-up credit.
• It may be applied to the gas bill instead if the same supplier provides both.
• It does not affect the Winter Fuel Payment or Cold Weather Payments.

The key requirement is that the name of the person on benefits, or their partner’s, is on the electricity account. If an adult child pays the bill in their own name, the parent may miss out. Care home residents rarely qualify because the home pays the energy bills.

Cold Weather Payments

A Cold Weather Payment is £25 for each 7-day period in which the average temperature at the local weather station is recorded or forecast to be 0°C or below. The scheme runs from 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is automatic and arrives within 14 working days of the cold spell. People on Pension Credit usually qualify. People on income-related ESA or Universal Credit qualify in some situations, for example with a disability premium or limited capability for work and no earnings. Tell the Pension Service or Jobcentre Plus if your parent goes into hospital, as it can affect the payment. A parent who leaves the heating off to save money, even with these payments, may need more than cash; our guide for when an elderly parent can’t cope at home covers the next steps.

Pension Credit: the key that unlocks the rest

Pension Credit tops weekly income up to £238.00 for a single person or £363.25 for a couple in 2026/27, with extra amounts for severe disability (£86.05) and for carers (£48.15). On its own it brings the Warm Home Discount, Cold Weather Payments, a full Winter Fuel Payment that is never clawed back, and often help with council tax and housing costs. Someone getting Attendance Allowance may qualify even with a moderate pension, because the severe disability addition raises the threshold. Our guide to Attendance Allowance and Pension Credit explains how they work together, and the funding checker can help you spot missed benefits. Pension Credit can usually be backdated by up to 3 months, so it is worth claiming now.

Scotland

Scotland does not have the Winter Fuel Payment or Cold Weather Payments. Social Security Scotland pays these instead:

The same £35,000 individual income rule applies, with HMRC recovering the payment. The qualifying week was also 21 to 27 September 2026, and most people are paid automatically. Separately, people on certain low-income benefits get a Winter Heating Payment, currently £62.00, whatever the weather. Scottish households claim the Warm Home Discount either automatically (the “core group”) or by applying to their supplier (the “broader group”), so contact the supplier early, because places are limited.

Wales and Northern Ireland

• Wales: The Winter Fuel Payment, Warm Home Discount and Cold Weather Payment rules are the same as in England.
• Northern Ireland: The Winter Fuel Payment (£100 to £300, same qualifying week and £35,000 rule) and £25 Cold Weather Payments apply. The Warm Home Discount does not, so ask about the Affordable Warmth Scheme through nidirect instead.

Care homes and winter payments

A self-funding parent in a care home normally gets the reduced Winter Fuel Payment of £100 or £150. A parent on Pension Credit in a care home usually does not. The Winter Fuel Payment is ignored as income in the care home means test, so it is theirs to spend as they wish. If your parent moves into a care home, tell the Winter Fuel Payment Centre, as the change can affect what they are paid. Our guide to the State Pension and benefits in a care home covers what happens to other payments, and the Personal Expenses Allowance explains what council-funded residents keep.

Mistakes and scams to avoid

• Do not reply to texts about “applying” for a winter payment. Real payments are mostly automatic, and GOV.UK warns about scam messages asking for bank details. See our guide to scams targeting older people.
• Check whose name is on the electricity bill before the Warm Home Discount qualifying date.
• Do not assume the clawback means it is not worth claiming. Under £35,000 the payment is kept in full.
• Register for the Priority Services Register with the energy supplier and network operator. It is free and gives extra help during power cuts for older and disabled people.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the Winter Fuel Payment for 2026/27?

The Winter Fuel Payment for 2026/27 is between £100 and £300. Someone living alone gets £200 if born between 28 September 1946 and 27 June 1960, or £300 if born before 28 September 1946. People who share a home with another eligible person, or live in a care home, usually get £100 to £200. It is paid in November or December 2026.

Do you have to pay back the Winter Fuel Payment?

Only if your own total income for the tax year is over £35,000. HMRC recovers it through your tax code or Self Assessment return. A partner’s income is not added to yours, so in a couple one person may keep the payment while the other repays it. The opt-out for 2026/27 has closed, and the 2027/28 opt-out opens on 21 December 2026.

Who gets the £150 Warm Home Discount in 2026?

In England and Wales, you qualify if on 23 August 2026 you or your partner got Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Housing Benefit or income-related ESA, and your name was on the electricity bill with a supplier in the scheme. Most people get it automatically by 31 March 2027. If a letter asks you to call, ring 0800 030 9322 by 26 February 2027.

How much is a Cold Weather Payment?

A Cold Weather Payment is £25 for each 7-day period when the average temperature in your area is recorded or forecast at 0°C or below, between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027. You need a qualifying benefit, usually Pension Credit or, in some cases, Universal Credit or income-related ESA. It is paid automatically within 14 working days.

Can you get Winter Fuel Payment in a care home?

Yes, usually at a reduced rate of £100 if born between 28 September 1946 and 27 June 1960, or £150 if older. The exception is a resident getting Pension Credit, Universal Credit or income-related ESA who has lived in the care home throughout from 29 June 2026 or earlier. They do not get the payment for 2026/27.

What is the Winter Fuel Payment called in Scotland?

In Scotland it is the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment, paid by Social Security Scotland. For 2026/27 it is £211.15 for people aged up to 79 who live alone and £316.70 for those aged 80 or over, with lower amounts for shared homes and care homes. HMRC also recovers it from people with individual income over £35,000.

Sources

• GOV.UK: Winter Fuel Payment
• GOV.UK: Winter Fuel Payment – if your income is over £35,000
• GOV.UK: Warm Home Discount Scheme
• GOV.UK: Cold Weather Payment
• mygov.scot: Pension Age Winter Heating Payment – how much
• mygov.scot: Winter Heating Payment
• nidirect: Winter Fuel Payment
• nidirect: Cold Weather Payment
• Ofgem: Priority Services Register

General information, not legal or financial advice. Figures for 2026/27, checked October 2026.

Reviewed by The Care Panel team on 29 October 2026. This guide is general information about care in England, not legal, medical or financial advice. Rules and rates change; check with your council or an adviser before making decisions.