£300 Winter Fuel Payment: why your age decides if you get an extra £100

State pensioners over 80 are due a Winter Fuel Payment of £300 this winter, which is £100 more than the £200 paid to younger pensioners, according to the Daily Express. This is the system that new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has inherited. Every state pensioner gets the payment automatically, but HMRC will take it back through tax from anyone whose income is above £35,000.

The age that counts is not how old you are today. It is how old you were during one week in late September, which the government calls the qualifying week. For 2026 that week ran from September 21 to 27, so for most readers the amount is already fixed, even if the letter confirming it has not arrived yet.

This comes after a bumpy couple of years. Millions of pensioners lost the payment in 2024 when the government made it means tested. Sir Keir Starmer then made a partial U-turn that gave it back to all state pensioners while taking it back in tax from those with higher incomes.

How the £200 and £300 rates are set

The Winter Fuel Payment is not one fixed amount. The government's own guidance says eligible people could get between £100 and £300 for winter 2026 to 2027. The Express reports that age is the main dividing line, with the payment going up from £200 to £300 for those over 80, and says other circumstances can also change the figure.

Readers should know that the Express article contradicts itself. One line says pensioners under 80 get the extra £100, while another says it is those over 80 whose payment rises from £200 to £300. The part of the GOV.UK guidance we checked does not give the age bands, so the letter you get from the government is the document to trust.

On the politics, the Express says the new leadership is unlikely to make further changes this year. That means Andy Burnham as Prime Minister and John Healey, who has replaced Rachel Reeves as Chancellor. The paper puts this down to the wide backlash Sir Keir Starmer faced over his first change to the payment and then its reversal.

Who gets the money and who has to hand it back

According to GOV.UK, you could get the payment for winter 2026 to 2027 if you were born on or before 27 June 1960. Most eligible people do not need to apply because the money is paid automatically.

The catch is the income limit. GOV.UK says that if your total income is over £35,000, HMRC will take your Winter Fuel Payment back, while the Express describes the limit as applying to people earning £35,000 or more. This matters for couples because the official guidance says your partner's income does not count towards your total, so each person is judged on their own income.

Going by the Express figures, a pensioner over 80 with an income below the limit keeps the full £300, while a younger pensioner in the same position keeps £200. Anyone above the limit still receives the money at first, then has it taken back through the tax system.

Key numbers

• £300: The higher rate, which the Express links to pensioners over 80.
• £200: The standard rate for younger state pensioners, according to the Express.
• £35,000: The income level at which HMRC takes the payment back.
• 27 June 1960: You must have been born on or before this date to qualify for winter 2026 to 2027.
• September 21 to 27, 2026: The qualifying week that decides whether you are paid and how much.
• 31 March 2026: The deadline for claims for winter 2025 to 2026, which has now passed.

When the letters and payments arrive

GOV.UK says eligible people will get a letter in October or November telling them how much they will receive. Most will be paid in November or December 2026. The Express adds that the letter should also say which bank account the money will go into, which is usually the same one used for Pension Credit or other benefits.

If you have to make a claim rather than being paid automatically, the government says claims for winter 2026 to 2027 open from 21 September 2026. The new government has not announced any changes to the scheme, and the Express does not expect any this year.

What you can do now

Start by checking your date of birth against the cut-off in the official Winter Fuel Payment guidance. The same page explains how the income limit works and how HMRC takes the money back. When your letter arrives, check the amount and the bank account details carefully, especially if you were over 80 during the qualifying week and expect the higher rate.

If you think you qualify but are not paid automatically, the GOV.UK guidance explains how to claim now that claims for winter 2026 to 2027 are open. If your income is close to £35,000, add up all your sources of income so you are not caught out when HMRC takes the payment back.

Watch out for scams. GOV.UK warns that you may get calls, emails or messages pretending to be from a government department, so be careful with any unexpected contact about this payment.

Your questions answered

Do I need to apply for the Winter Fuel Payment this year

Most people do not. GOV.UK says most eligible people get the payment automatically. They will receive a letter in October or November confirming how much they will get.

Does my husband or wife's income count towards the £35,000 limit

No. The official guidance says your partner's income does not count towards your total. Only your own income is compared with the limit.

I turned 80 after the qualifying week, so will I get £300

The Express reports that the amount depends on your age and circumstances during the qualifying week of September 21 to 27, 2026. That suggests your age during that week is what counts, and your letter will confirm the figure.