Winter heating allowance payments are being paid now, directly into the accounts of eligible people. Opportunistic fraudsters know pensioners are expecting the money and they are taking advantage of this by sending out phishing texts and emails.
They will tell the recipient they need to reapply for the allowance; there is a problem with the payment and they need to enter their bank details, or they are eligible for an increase in the amount. As with all phishing scams they will provide a link to click on to provide bank details, email addresses, date of birth and other private information. They may ask you to pay a small fee to cover an admin charge.
None of these messages are legitimate and the victims’ details are being used to build fake identities for fraudsters to use at a later date or sell on the dark web. The Department for Work and Pensions will never ask for bank details via a text or email. If you are unsure about one of these messages, call the Independent Age helpline free on 0800 319 6789.
Becky Holmes, The Times, 04/12/2026
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