HMRC is set to send notifications to millions of retirees to repay their Winter Fuel Payment. This payment, up to £300, is distributed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to individuals above the state pension age.
Individuals earning over £35,000 annually will have their Winter Fuel Payment reclaimed by HMRC. The repayment process will involve adjustments to tax codes for the 2026/27 fiscal year.
Repayments will be phased throughout the 2026/27 tax year and collected via the PAYE system. If you complete a self-assessment tax return, the repayment will be reflected in your 2025/26 tax return.
Around two million state pensioners are expected to refund their Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2025/26, with HMRC commencing the notification process in April. If your tax code changes and you have opted out of paper correspondence, you will receive digital notifications of the adjustment.
HMRC emphasizes that most individuals will repay the Winter Fuel Payment automatically through their tax code or self-assessment tax return. Detailed online guidance and a calculator are available to help individuals understand the repayment process.
Winter Fuel Payments are issued to individuals born before September 22, 1959, who received specific benefits during the qualifying week of September 15 to 21, 2025. Eligible recipients should have received their payment by November or December. Those who believe they are eligible but have not received payment can make a claim to the Winter Fuel Payment Centre by March 31, 2026.
To inquire about the Winter Fuel Payment or make a claim, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre at 0800 731 0160 or via mail at Winter Fuel Payment Centre, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1LR.
Certain eligibility criteria apply, such as not being eligible if receiving free hospital treatment throughout the qualifying week or being in prison during that period. In Scotland, the Winter Fuel Payment has been replaced by the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment, ranging from £101.70 to £305.10.
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