UK Government Reports 53,000 Pensioners Opted Out of Winter Fuel Payments

The Department for Work and Pensions reported that 53,000 pensioners opted out of the Winter Fuel Payment for the 2025-2026 winter period. This follows a period of fluctuating eligibility rules; after 2024 restrictions limited payments to those on means-tested benefits, the government expanded eligibility for 2025-2026 to include most pensioners in England and Wales born on or before September 21, 1959.

Approximately 10.9 million people received payments between £100 and £300. However, a recovery mechanism managed by HM Revenue and Customs reclaims these payments through the tax system from pensioners with annual incomes exceeding £35,000, a process estimated to affect 2.2 million people.

Pensioners seeking to opt out of the 2026-2027 payments must do so via a helpline by September 18, 2026, or through online options available until September 20, 2026.