Who qualifies for Winter Fuel Payment
Find out who is eligible for Winter Fuel Payment, a benefit paid to older people to help them to keep warm in winter.
Who can get it
Winter Fuel Payment is not means tested. You can get it if you’re working or claiming a benefit.
You can automatically qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2023/2024 if both the following apply:
- you were born before 25 September 1957
- you lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of 18 to 24 September 2023
- this is called the ‘qualifying week’
If you did not live in the UK during the qualifying week, you might still get the payment if both the following apply:
- you live in Switzerland or a European Economic Area (EEA) country
- you have a genuine and adequate link to the UK - this can include having lived or worked in the UK, and having family in the UK
Read guidance to check if you can get benefits as a UK national in an EU or EEA country, or Switzerland.
You will not qualify if you:
- have been in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year
- need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave states that you cannot claim public funds
- were in prison for the whole of the week from 18 to 24 September 2023
If you live in a care home
You can get Winter Fuel Payment if you live in a care home. You will not be eligible if both of the following apply:
- you get Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- you lived in a care home for the whole time from 26 June to 24 September 2023
You may still be able to get Cold Weather Payment, even if you do not qualify for Winter Fuel Payment.
Make a claim for Winter Fuel Payment
To find out who needs to make a claim for the payment and how to go about it, visit the following page: