The pensioners who will get £300 winter fuel payment instead of £200 | Personal Finance | Finance

A huge change to the winter fuel payment is set to take effect from this September meaning millions more pensioners will get the benefit from the government worth £200 or £300 – but the exact amount you get depends on one thing.

On Monday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a U-tun on the winter fuel payment, scrapping the means testing system based on Pension Credit and instead swapping it to a new, wider means testing system based on income. Everyone will get a payment, but those who earn more than £35,000 will be made to repay it to government in their taxes.

But what many don’t realise is that if you do qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment this year, the exact amount you get will changes depending on the year you were born, and possibly because of other circumstances too.

The Winter Fuel Payment used to be paid automatically to all state pensioners, but in 2024 was changed to only those on Pension Credit. In 2025, it will once again go to all state pensioners, except those earning more than £35,000 will repay it.

Those who are of state pension age but aged under 80, so born on or before September 22, 1958, and who qualify will get a £200 payment, whereas those aged over 80 – so born on September 23, 1944 or earlier – will get £300.

The amount you get is based on when you were born and your circumstances between September 15 and 21 2025. This is called the ‘qualifying week’.

This means that if you are now aged over 80 and qualify, your Winter Fuel Payment will be increased from £200 to £300.

Most people who qualify will get a letter telling them how much they will get and which bank account this will be paid into – which is usually the same as for your Pension Credit or other benefits.

Age UK said: “If you or your partner claims Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance, the payment should go to the main claimant of the benefit automatically.

“You should receive your payment between mid-November and Christmas. Call the Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 0800 731 0160 if you have any enquiries or you don’t receive your payment.”