Making a claim for Winter Fuel Payment
If you are not eligible to automatically get Winter Fuel payment, you will have to make a claim. You can do this by telephone or post if you live in Northern Ireland or the European Economic Area (EEA).
Claims for winter 2023 to 2024 have closed.
Application forms for winter 2024 to 2025 will be available Autumn 2024.
How to claim
Most people get the Winter Fuel Payment automatically if they are eligible.
If you are not in receipt of a qualifying benefit you need to claim if any of the following apply:
- you’ve not got the Winter Fuel Payment before
- you’ve deferred your State Pension since your last Winter Fuel Payment
You might need to claim if you live abroad even if you get State Pension or another Social Security benefit.
Contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre if your circumstances have changed.
If you need to claim
You can claim Winter Fuel Payment by telephone or by post.
Claiming for the first time by telephone
Claims for winter 2023 to 2024 have closed.
Applications for winter 2024 to 2025 will be available Autumn 2024.
Before you call you will need to know:
- your National Insurance number
- your bank or building society details
- your BIC and IBAN numbers if you live in an EEA country or Switzerland
- the date you were married or entered into a civil partnership (if appropriate)
Payments cannot be made into a National Savings and Investments (NS&I) account unless you already get other benefits paid into the account.
You’ll also need to say whether during the qualifying week you were:
- in hospital getting free in-patient treatment
- in a residential care home or Ilford Park Resettlement Home
- in prison
Claiming for the first time by post
Claims for winter 2023 to 2024 have closed.
Applications for winter 2024 to 2025 will be available Autumn 2024.
Claiming by post if you live abroad
If you do not live in the UK, you’re only eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment if:
- you moved to an eligible country before 1 January 2021
- you were born before 25 September 1957
- you have a genuine and sufficient link to the UK - this can include having lived or worked in the UK, and having family in the UK
Eligible countries
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- Germany
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Sweden
- Switzerland
You only need to claim Winter Fuel Payment if you’ve not got it since you moved abroad.
The rest of the time, you’ll get the payment automatically.
Claims for winter 2023 to 2024 have closed.
Applications for winter 2024 to 2025 will be available Autumn 2024.
If you disagree with a decision
You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for a mandatory reconsideration.
If your payment is incorrect
Check payment information on the following page:
If you’re claiming for the first time and the information in your application form is incorrect, you should contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre .
Who does not need to claim
If you're eligible for Winter Fuel Payment and already receive certain benefits, you don't need to claim and should receive an automatic payment.
To find out more, go to the link below:
Who needs to claim
You need to claim Winter Fuel Payment if:
- you qualify by age
- you only receive Housing Benefit, Child Benefit or Universal Credit
but don't receive:
- State Pension
- Pension Credit
- Attendance Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Carer’s Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Income Support
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- awards from the War Pensions Scheme
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
- Incapacity Benefit
- Industrial Death Benefit
You need to claim even if your partner is already receiving a Winter Fuel Payment for your household.
If you've received Winter Fuel Payment before
If you previously received a Winter Fuel Payment and there has been no change in your circumstances, you don't need to apply.
You do need to apply if you received Winter Fuel Payment before but your circumstances have changed, for example, you stopped receiving any of the benefits above or deferred your State Pension.
For more information on what to do if there has been a change in your situation, see Winter Fuel Payment - if there's a change in your circumstances.