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  • Breadcrumb

    1. Home
    2. Benefits and money
    3. Benefits and financial support
    4. In retirement

    Winter Fuel Payment

    A Winter Fuel Payment can help you pay your winter heating bills. If you were born before 22 September 1959, you could get between £100 and £300. Payments are made automatically.

    Winter Fuel Payment letters 

    If you’re eligible you’ll get a letter during October or November telling you: 

    • how much you’ll get this winter
    • an estimated date of when you’ll get the payment

    Winter Fuel Payment is different to a Cold Weather Payment which supports people on benefits when there is very cold weather in their area for more than a week.

    You do not need to do anything to get a Winter Fuel Payment. You won't be sent a text or email asking for your bank details. You should report any suspicious messages: reporting a scam

    Winter Fuel Payment rates

    How much Winter Fuel Payment you get each winter can vary depending on your personal situation during the qualifying week. 

    The qualifying week for winter 2025 to 2026 is 15 to 21 September.

    Your age or other people living with you who are also eligible can affect the amount you get.

    Winter Fuel Payment is tax free and does not affect your other benefits or income.

    More information about eligibility, how much you’ll get and when you won’t be eligible is at: 

    • GOV.UK: Winter Fuel Payment

    How and when you're paid

    Most payments are in November or December.

    Your Winter Fuel Payment will be paid into the bank account your qualifying benefits or state pension is usually paid into.

    If you do not get a letter or the money is not paid into your account by December, contact the Winter Fuel payment Centre.

    Report a change in circumstances

    Report any changes in your circumstances straight away, as these can affect how much Winter Fuel Payment you get. 

    You need to report changes such as:

    • you or someone else eligible for Winter Fuel Payment moves in or out of your house
    • you or someone else eligible for Winter Fuel Payment moves into or goes to live in a care home
    • someone who was eligible for Winter Fuel Payment in your household dies
    • you change your bank account details
    • you move abroad
    • you stop getting a benefit
    • you want to cancel future payments
    • you want to return a payment

    To report a change, you should contact the Winter Fuel payment Centre.

    If you’ve been paid too much

    You may have to repay all or some of a Winter Fuel Payment if you:

    • did not report a change straight away
    • gave wrong information
    • were overpaid by mistake

    Find out how to repay any benefit money you owe, including Winter Fuel Payment:

    • Overpayments of benefits and financial support

    More useful links

    • Cost of Living
    • Make the Call
    • Claiming benefits in Europe - EEA countries
    • War Widow(er) Pension – gov.uk
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    In retirement

    • 60+ SmartPass and Senior (65+) SmartPass
    • About Pension Credit
    • Attendance Allowance
    • Cold Weather Payment
    • Energy saving grants
    • Free TV licences
    • Help with health costs
    • Lone Pensioner Allowance
    • Over 80 Pension
    • Paying your residential care or nursing home fees
    • Pension Credit
    • Pensions and retirement planning
    • Residential care and nursing homes and benefits
    • Tax and allowances in retirement
    • Winter Fuel Payment
    • Your home, assets and residential care or nursing home fees

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    What to do next

    Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

    If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

    Carer's Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912
    Email 
    dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

    Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

    Call 0800 587 2750 
    Email 
    customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

    Disability Living Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912 
    Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

    Employment and Support Allowance

    Call 0800 587 1377

    Jobseeker’s Allowance

    Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

    Personal Independence Payment

    Call 0800 587 0932

    If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

    For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

    For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

    For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

    If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

    • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
    • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

    If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

    For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

    Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

    For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

    For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

    For queries about your GRONI account, email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk.

    For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

    For queries about:

    • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
      contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
       
    • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
      contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

    If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

     

    For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

    For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

    If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

    If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

    For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

    For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

    If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

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    • gov.uk
    • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

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