DWP: How Some Pensioners Could Get £600 in Winter Fuel Payments Instead of £300

A loophole in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) rules means some households could receive £600 in Winter Fuel Payments instead of the standard £300.

This winter, the DWP will restore Winter Fuel Payments for all pensioners in the UK. However, anyone earning more than £35,000 a year will have the payment automatically reclaimed by the government.

Around nine million pensioners are expected to receive either £200 or £300 to help with heating costs. Those living alone will get £200 if born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959, or £300 if born before 22 September 1945.

The amount can vary depending on household circumstances. For example, two pensioners sharing a home but not classed as a couple could each receive a payment—adding up to £600 for the same household. Meanwhile, a married couple living next door may only get £300 between them.

Couples who jointly claim Pension Credit receive a single Winter Fuel Payment per household. If one partner is over 80, the total household payment is £300. But if two people over 80 share a home and each qualifies for benefits separately, both receive £300 each.

In short, two siblings over 80 living together could get £600, while an 80-year-old married couple on a joint claim would only get £300.

The Winter Fuel Payment is a tax-free grant designed to help pensioners cover energy bills during the colder months. It was previously available to all households with someone of state pension age, but from winter 2024/25 it was limited to those on Pension Credit or certain other benefits.

The government has now confirmed that from winter 2025/26, all pensioners will again be eligible—though those earning more than £35,000 annually will have their payments reclaimed automatically unless they choose to opt out.