Winter Fuel Payment 2026 opt-out deadline

Pensioners who do not want to receive the Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2026/27 must opt out by 20 September 2026, according to the Benefit Changes Timetable 2026 published by the independent charity Turn2us¹. The Low Incomes Tax Reform Group (LITRG) gives the same date for opting out online, and says the deadline is 18 September 2026 for opting out by phone³.

The payment is a one-off, tax-free sum made to households with someone over pension age⁴. Turn2us says eligible pensioners across the UK will begin to receive their Winter Fuel Payment or Pension Age Winter Heating Payment in November 2026¹. LITRG notes that from tax year 2025/26 HMRC applies a tax charge designed to claw back the winter payment from most recipients whose income is more than £35,000³.

Qualifying week for the 2026 payment is the week commencing 21 September 2026³. Turn2us says the amount depends on age and circumstances during the qualifying week of 21 to 27 September 2026⁵. Claimants must have reached State Pension age by the end of that week, meaning they were born on or before 27 June 1960, and must live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland⁶.

Most people are paid automatically if they receive certain benefits, including Pension Credit, Universal Credit or State Pension⁴. Wales Online lists 12 benefits that mean no claim is needed, among them Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, Incapacity Benefit, Personal Independence Payment and awards from the War Pensions Scheme⁶. Turn2us says a claim may be needed if the payment was not received last year or if State Pension has been deferred since last winter⁴.

Why it matters for households

The opt-out date of 20 September 2026 falls before qualifying week, which runs from 21 to 27 September 2026¹. Anyone whose income is over £35,000 and who does not receive certain state benefits faces the winter fuel payment charge, under which HMRC takes back the full amount of the payment³. LITRG says people receiving Universal Credit, Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support or income-related Employment and Support Allowance in qualifying week are not liable to the charge³. Each person in a household is assessed separately, and a partner's income is not counted⁶.

Wales Online reports that HMRC asked 1.3 million people to repay the benefit this spring after they received it without being eligible⁷. It also reports that those with income above £35,000 will be asked to return the payment, with HMRC recovering it by changing the tax code or adding it to a Self Assessment return⁷. LITRG says HMRC will collect the 2025 winter payment charge by adjusting the tax code for 2026/27, and plans to collect the 2026/27 and 2027/28 charges by adjusting the 2027/28 tax code, so two amounts are collected in one year³.

What happens next

Claims for winter 2026/27 can be submitted from 21 September 2026⁴. Wales Online says postal claims open from 21 September 2026 and phone claims on 0800 731 0160 from 19 October 2026, with a claim deadline of 31 March 2027⁶. LITRG says the opt-back-in deadline is 31 March 2027³. Turn2us says eligible people should receive a letter in October or November telling them how much they will get, and that anyone not paid by 27 January 2027 should contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre⁵. The Warm Home Discount Scheme opens for applications in England, Scotland and Wales in October 2026, and the Cold Weather Payment 2026 scheme opens in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in November 2026¹.