Making a claim for Winter Fuel Payment

How to claim

You usually do not need to claim Winter Fuel Payment - you’ll get it automatically if you’re eligible.

If you have not got a Winter Fuel Payment before, you only need to claim if any of the following apply:

• you do not get benefits or a State Pension
• you only get Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit
• you get benefits or a State Pension but live in Switzerland or an EEA country

If you have got a Winter Fuel Payment before, you only need to claim if since your last payment you have either:

• deferred your State Pension
• moved to Switzerland or an EEA country

You can make a claim for a Winter Fuel Payment from 1 August 2022.

Contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre if your circumstances have changed. 

• Winter Fuel Payment - if there's a change in your circumstances

If you need to claim

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

Claiming for the first time by telephone

To claim by telephone, you can contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre between Monday and Friday from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm.

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 of 19 to 25 September 2022 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 

If you live in Northern Ireland and want to claim by post, download a Winter Fuel Payment claim form or ask the Winter Fuel Payment Centre to send you a form. 

Claiming by post if you live in EEA or Switzerland

If you live in an eligible EEA country or Switzerland fill in the Winter Fuel Payment claim form for EEA or Swiss residents and the IPCF091 form if you are a UK national or dual national. If you’re a UK national or dual national living in Ireland, you do not need to fill in the IPCF091 form.

• Winter Fuel Payment claim form: EEA and Switzerland

You cannot get a Winter Fuel Payment if you live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain

Where to send completed forms

The address to which your completed application form should be sent can be found at Winter Fuel Payment claim form

Your form must be received by 31 March 2022.

You will get a letter telling you how much Winter Fuel Payment you will receive and when this will be paid.

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:

• Winter Fuel Payment - payments and rates

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 qualifies for Winter Fuel Payment

• you qualify by age
• you only receive Housing Benefit, Child Benefit or Universal Credit

but don't receive:

• State Pension
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• State Pension Credit
• Attendance Allowance
• Bereavement Benefit
• Carer’s Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance
• Graduated Retirement Benefit
• Incapacity Benefit
• Industrial Injuries Benefits
• Personal Independence Payment
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• War Pension
• Widow’s 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.