Gransnet forums

Ask a gran

Winter fuel allowance

(48 Posts)
dollydaydream68 Tue 02-Dec-25 13:19:30

Just wondering, has everyone had theirs yet? Letter says within 3 weeks. That was last week.
Thanks

Beechnut Sat 06-Dec-25 09:31:14

RosieandherMaw

Charleygirl5

I was adamant I hadn't received mine, but I did an online bank check this evening, and I was paid my £300 about 3 weeks ago. I totally missed it, which was very unusual.

I don't intend to be cold or hungry, and neither will happen unless the system breaks down.

Now I feel miffed!
I “only” got £200.
Was that not right?

You don’t look old enough for £300 Maw that’s why you only got 2 😂

mum2three Sat 06-Dec-25 05:16:12

Haven't got mine yet, but I did get the Warm Home voucher a few weeks ago. I live in a Victorian building with high ceilings so it's expensive to keep warm. The extra money really makes a difference.

RosieandherMaw Sat 06-Dec-25 05:02:29

Charleygirl5

I was adamant I hadn't received mine, but I did an online bank check this evening, and I was paid my £300 about 3 weeks ago. I totally missed it, which was very unusual.

I don't intend to be cold or hungry, and neither will happen unless the system breaks down.

Now I feel miffed!
I “only” got £200.
Was that not right?

Allira Fri 05-Dec-25 23:08:11

Well, the heat has been on here and I don't feel guilty.

keepingquiet Fri 05-Dec-25 23:03:23

Got mine last week- spent on new tyres for my son's van he needs for his business!

Allira Fri 05-Dec-25 23:00:30

Usedtobeblonde

My friend opted out, I think it had to be done by a date in the middle of September.
She does like to remind people just how well off she is and this was just to reinforce it 😉

If her pension is £35,000 and over, she'd be paying it back in tax anyway. No need for virtue signalling!

Charleygirl5 Fri 05-Dec-25 22:42:33

I was adamant I hadn't received mine, but I did an online bank check this evening, and I was paid my £300 about 3 weeks ago. I totally missed it, which was very unusual.

I don't intend to be cold or hungry, and neither will happen unless the system breaks down.

CBBL Fri 05-Dec-25 22:08:37

Received mine last week! Much appreciated, as I didn’t think I would qualify (not on Pension Credit).

Usedtobeblonde Thu 04-Dec-25 13:02:09

My friend opted out, I think it had to be done by a date in the middle of September.
She does like to remind people just how well off she is and this was just to reinforce it 😉

knspol Thu 04-Dec-25 12:53:25

PaynesGray

knspol

I had my £200 WFA and also my £10 bonus last week. What a nonsense, I now have to remember to put the WFA details on my tax return in around 6 mths time when it's completed. What with the cost of notifying people, issuing payments, clawing them back plus the cost of paying out the £10's how much money is being wasted here???

If you are sure your income will exceed £35,000 then you could have opted out of receiving the Winter Fuel Payment.

Obviously, the deadline for than has now passed for 2025/26 but reopens again for 2026/27 from 1 April 2026:

www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/report-change-circumstances

Thank you for that PaynesGray I did not know that, much appreciated!

KKOB Thu 04-Dec-25 10:23:30

The letter I received said payments would be made throughout November and December and if not received by mid-Janauary (can't remember the actual date) you should contact DWP.

Also, State Pension Payments are made 4 weekly, with the day determined by the last two digits of your National Insurance number.

karmalady Thu 04-Dec-25 08:40:59

I had wfa last week and it is very welcome, I put the ch up a 1/2 degree this morning and am expecting a boiler repair bill, which will be more than wfa. I also turned rads on in my sewing room and my wellness room. Time to tweak ch as I had a couple of white fingers last week

PaynesGray Thu 04-Dec-25 08:33:52

Sarahr

Dh has received his.
We both wonder whether it would be better for the government to pay it after Christmas so it's used to pay the fuel bill. We think this because we know several people who use it to buy extra Christmas presents, rather than keeping warm.
We use solid fuel so technically, it benefits us to receive it now as we buy our fuel before we use it but we budget so we don't go without heat or hot water during the colder months.

researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06019/SN06019.pdf

Two things.

It has never been obligatory to spend the WFP on fuel (page 21). It is a general income supplement. Over time there have been moves to rename it just Winter Payment but research from the IFS, funded by the Nuffield Foundation found that leaving Fuel in the name “nudged” people to towards spending more of it on extra fuel.

In 2012, SNP MP Mike Weir presented a Private Members Bill - the Winter Fuel Allowance Payments (Off Gas Grid Claimants) Bill to bring forward the date of payment to help off grid households to buy in winter fuel at discounted summer prices (page 16). The Coalition government objected to a second reading.

Maggiemaybe Thu 04-Dec-25 08:25:38

We had our letters weeks ago, but no payments yet, either WFA or the £10 bonus.

Sarahr Thu 04-Dec-25 07:50:04

Dh has received his.
We both wonder whether it would be better for the government to pay it after Christmas so it's used to pay the fuel bill. We think this because we know several people who use it to buy extra Christmas presents, rather than keeping warm.
We use solid fuel so technically, it benefits us to receive it now as we buy our fuel before we use it but we budget so we don't go without heat or hot water during the colder months.

crazyH Wed 03-Dec-25 23:52:43

I haven’t received mine - don’t understand why. My income is certainly less than £35000 pa and no letter either.

OldFrill Wed 03-Dec-25 23:45:55

Mojack26

I'm in Scotland,not even had a letter yet.. told it can be anywhere beween November and February! Bit pointless in February. Surely they should all be sent out by mid December?

l'm in Scotland and received a letter dated 25 November from Social Security Scotland, and payment on 1st December. In Scotland it's called Pension Age Winter Heating Allowance not Winter Fuel Payment and is paid in by SSSPAWHP on your bank account.

PaynesGray Wed 03-Dec-25 23:41:20

knspol

I had my £200 WFA and also my £10 bonus last week. What a nonsense, I now have to remember to put the WFA details on my tax return in around 6 mths time when it's completed. What with the cost of notifying people, issuing payments, clawing them back plus the cost of paying out the £10's how much money is being wasted here???

If you are sure your income will exceed £35,000 then you could have opted out of receiving the Winter Fuel Payment.

Obviously, the deadline for than has now passed for 2025/26 but reopens again for 2026/27 from 1 April 2026:

www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/report-change-circumstances

Grammaretto Wed 03-Dec-25 23:18:06

I was surprised to receive my letter. I thought it was stopped. Is it because I've reached a certain age?

Mojack26 Wed 03-Dec-25 22:49:32

I'm in Scotland,not even had a letter yet.. told it can be anywhere beween November and February! Bit pointless in February. Surely they should all be sent out by mid December?

rafichagran Wed 03-Dec-25 21:19:24

Recieved mind last week.

knspol Wed 03-Dec-25 21:03:21

I had my £200 WFA and also my £10 bonus last week. What a nonsense, I now have to remember to put the WFA details on my tax return in around 6 mths time when it's completed. What with the cost of notifying people, issuing payments, clawing them back plus the cost of paying out the £10's how much money is being wasted here???

Jane43 Wed 03-Dec-25 19:25:09

Susieq62

Ours have arrived but not at the same time! I wondered if it was alphabetical order .

Ours arrived at the same time our state pension was paid into our bank account, DH’s pension is paid the week after mine.

twiglet77 Wed 03-Dec-25 18:39:55

I received mine on 20 November. Perhaps it’s in alphabetical order (my surname is near the start of the alphabet), or the NI number or last letter?

Grannynannywanny Wed 03-Dec-25 18:27:31

No sign of mine and no letter as yet.