Tens of thousands of pensioners actively turned down their Winter Fuel Payment last winter, new figures reveal – while millions more were expected to have the cash clawed back through the tax system.
As the deadline looms for this winter, newly published Department for Work and Pensions statistics show a total of 53,000 pensioners opted out of receiving the payment for winter 2025 to 2026.
The figures reveal the scale of the response to the Government's controversial changes to the payment, which saw most pensioners in England and Wales once again eligible for the cash.
But pensioners with income above £35,000 had their Winter Fuel Payment recovered by HMRC through the tax system.
An HMRC impact assessment estimated that 2.2 million pensioners, including those in Northern Ireland, would be affected by these recoveries.
The latest DWP statistics do not include payments subsequently recovered by HMRC and also exclude pensioners who opted out before their payment was made.
The Winter Fuel Payment was worth between £100 and £300 last winter, depending on individual circumstances.
Key deadline looming for this winter
Pensioners who do not want the Winter Fuel Payment have just days to opt out, with a key online deadline of September 18.
The move could be particularly important for people whose annual income exceeds £35,000, as they will still receive the payment unless they opt out - but HMRC will then reclaim it through the tax system.
Pensioners can call the Winter Fuel Payment helpline, but must do so before 6pm on September 18.
How to opt out of Winter Fuel Payment
There are other ways to opt out of receiving the Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2026 to 2027.
- If you receive a State Pension and can login online, you can use the Manage your State Pension service before 11.59pm on September 20, 2026.
- Alternatively, you can complete the Government's online opt-out form by the same deadline.
- You will need your National Insurance number when using the online form or calling the helpline.
- Those using the Manage your State Pension service will need to sign in. Anyone without existing sign-in details can create them.
- Importantly, opting out will not affect your State Pension.
You also do not need to opt out every year. Once you have opted out, you will not receive the Winter Fuel Payment in future years unless you choose to opt back in.
What if you change your mind?
Pensioners who later decide they want to receive the payment can opt back in by contacting the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.
To receive the Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2026 to 2027, you must contact the centre before March 31, 2027.
The Winter Fuel Payment Centre can be contacted by phone or post, while an online email enquiry form is also available.
The telephone number is 0800 731 0160, with lines open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.
You will need to provide personal details including your name, address, date of birth and National Insurance number.
Pensioners who are considering opting out should therefore check the deadlines carefully - particularly those who could face the payment being reclaimed through HMRC because their total income is above £35,000.
Millions more pensioners received the payment
The figures also reveal a dramatic rebound in the number of pensioners receiving the payment.
Some 10.9 million people in England and Wales received a Winter Fuel Payment in winter 2025 to 2026.
That was an increase of 9.6 million on the previous winter, when eligibility had been restricted to pensioners receiving certain means-tested benefits.
It was also around 290,000 higher than in winter 2023 to 2024, when the payment was effectively universal for most pensioners.
There were 11 million beneficiaries once eligible pension-age partners were included.
The Government had changed the rules in 2024, meaning only pensioners receiving certain means-tested benefits qualified for the payment.
For winter 2025 to 2026, the rules were changed again so that most pensioners living in England and Wales and born on or before September 21, 1959, qualified.
However, those with income above £35,000 were subject to the HMRC recovery mechanism.
How much did pensioners receive?
The amount received varied depending on age, living arrangements and whether the pensioner received certain benefits.
Of all Winter Fuel Payment recipients:
- 37 per cent received £100
- 9 per cent received £150
- 38 per cent received £200
- 17 per cent received £300
The majority of recipients – 7.7 million, or 70 per cent – were aged under 80.
A pensioner who qualified and lived alone, for example, could receive £200 if under 80 or £300 if aged 80 or over.
Where two qualifying pensioners lived together, the payment could be £100 each if both were under 80, or £150 each where one or both were aged 80 or over, depending on their circumstances.
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Which areas had the most recipients?
The figures also reveal how many pensioners received the payment in different parts of England and Wales.
North Yorkshire had the highest number of recipients, at 150,000, followed by Birmingham and Cornwall, both with around 140,000.
At the other end of the scale, just 500 people in the Isles of Scilly received a Winter Fuel Payment, followed by 1,200 in the City of London and 10,100 in Rutland.
The figures are based on DWP's Seasonal Payment System and cover payments recorded up to July 6, 2026. The department warned that a small number of payments made after that date would not be included.
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