State pensioners born in these years given instant £100 Winter Fuel Payment increase

Winter fuel payments of £200 to £300 are being given to thousands of state pensioners again this coming winter after Labour's much publicised u-turn on using Pension Credit to determine eligibility.

Every state pensioner will be given the money this year, no matter what their financial situation, and those who earn £35,000 or more will instead be made to repay the money back to HMRC in tax.

The change moves the threshold from about £11,000 all the way to £35,000 and means that many more state pensioners are set to benefit from the cash this winter compared to last year.

But what many don’t realise is that even 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 on other circumstances too.

Those who are of state pension age but aged under 80 will get a £200 payment, whereas those aged over 80 - so born on September 22, 1945 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’.

So plenty of people will see their winter fuel payment increase from £200 to £300 if they've turned 80 in the last year.

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 pension credit or other benefits go into.

Age UK said: “Payments are automatic, you do not need to do anything. If you have not received your winter fuel payment by January 2026, you can make a claim before March 31, 2026. Contact the winter fuel payment helpline on 0800 731 0160."