The money is paid through the Winter Fuel Payment, which helps older households cover rising heating costs during the coldest months of the year. Most eligible recipients should receive the payment automatically, with many already paid in November or December.

For most pensioners, the payment is worth £200, while those born before September 22, 1945, are entitled to £300.

People living in care homes receive a lower amount, with payments set at £150 for those born before September 22, 1945, and £100 for those born between that date and September 21, 1959.

Last winter, around 1.3 million Winter Fuel Payments were made. That figure is expected to increase significantly in the coming years following a Government U-turn on eligibility rules.

In July 2024, ministers announced that only pensioners receiving Pension Credit or certain other means-tested benefits would qualify for the payment.

However, in June 2025, the Government confirmed that all pensioners in England and Wales earning £35,000 a year or less will be entitled to the Winter Fuel Payment in future.

Pensioners earning above that threshold will still receive the money initially, but HMRC will later reclaim it either through an adjustment to their tax code or by adding the amount to their 2025/26 Self Assessment tax return.

The DWP advises anyone who believes they are eligible but has not yet received a payment to contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.

Claimants will need to provide personal details including their name, address, date of birth and National Insurance number.

The Winter Fuel Payment Centre can be contacted by phone on 0800 731 0160 for those in the UK, or on +44 (0)191 218 7777 for people living abroad.

Lines are usually open Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm. Pensioners can also write to the centre at Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1LR.

With payments worth up to £300, older households are being urged not to assume everything is in hand and to check their bank accounts and eligibility details to avoid missing out on vital winter support.