Andy Burnham DWP Winter Payment: Who Gets £200 or £300 in 2026/27
The Winter Fuel Payment is a national tax-free heating benefit of £100 to £300, administered by the DWP. For winter 2026/27, it is available to people born on or before 27 June 1960 who live in the UK and receive Pension Credit or another qualifying means-tested benefit.
Key Takeaways
- The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed payments of £100 to £300 for winter 2026/27, set by birth date and household.
- Eligibility for the 2026 Winter Fuel Payment requires a birth date on or before 27 June 1960 and usual residence in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
- The government has reversed earlier means-testing proposals; you will now receive the Winter Fuel Payment automatically if you are over State Pension age, but HMRC will recover the funds if your individual income exceeds £35,000.
Is There a Separate Andy Burnham DWP Winter Payment?
The GOV.UK Winter Fuel Payment guide, last updated on 30 September 2026, describes one payment of £100 to £300 and lists no separate scheme linked to the Prime Minister.
To understand the current rules, it is important to understand the government’s recent U-turn. In 2024, the previous government announced that claiming Pension Credit was mandatory to receive the Winter Fuel Payment.
However, that policy has been reversed. The payment of up to £300 per household is once again made automatically to all pensioners. To offset this, a strict new clawback system was introduced: anyone with taxable earnings above £35,000 will have the money automatically recovered by HMRC.
Coverage refers to the “Andy Burnham Winter Fuel Payment” because Andy Burnham became Prime Minister in July 2026. This is the first winter payment issued under his new government’s administration, rather than a separate mayoral scheme.
Some coverage has linked the payment to Andy Burnham due to his calls for local support as the Mayor of Greater Manchester, but the rules described are the standard national Winter Fuel Payment rules.
HMRC guidance for the 2025/26 winter already said payments would be taken back from anyone with total income above £35,000.
For 2026/27, the payment amounts and the £35,000 HMRC recovery threshold remain in place; only the qualifying birth dates have shifted to reflect the passing of another year.
Who Is Eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment in 2026?
You are eligible if you were born on or before 27 June 1960 and usually live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. The qualifying week, 21 to 27 September 2026, fixes your circumstances, and your basic eligibility is established by your age and residency, regardless of whether you claim Pension Credit.
Your cut-off date is later than last winter’s, when the payment went to people born on or before 21 September 1959.
You will not be eligible if you:
- Usually live outside England, Wales or Northern Ireland, including if you were only visiting during the qualifying week
- Were in hospital getting free treatment for the whole qualifying week and the year before that
- Need permission to enter the UK and your leave says you cannot claim public funds
- Were in prison for the whole qualifying week
If you live in a care home, you can still qualify, unless you get Universal Credit, Pension Credit (a top-up for low-income pensioners) or income-related Employment and Support Allowance and have lived there continuously since 29 June 2026 or earlier.
If you live in Scotland, you cannot get a Winter Fuel Payment, but you might be eligible for the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment, Scotland’s equivalent.
How Much Is the Winter Fuel Payment in 2026/27?
The Winter Fuel Payment is worth between £100 and £300 for winter 2026/27. DWP confirmed the rates, and the same £100 to £300 range applied last winter. Birth date, household and benefits during the qualifying week decide the amount.
| Your situation | Born 28 September 1946 to 27 June 1960 | Born before 28 September 1946 |
|---|---|---|
| Live alone, or nobody you live with is eligible | £200 | £300 |
| Live with another eligible person and get a qualifying benefit individually | £200 | £300 |
| Live in a care home | £100 | £150 |
If you live with another eligible person and neither of you gets a qualifying benefit, you receive:
- £100 each if you were both born between 28 September 1946 and 27 June 1960
- £100 if you were born in that period and the other person was born before 28 September 1946
- £200 if you were born before 28 September 1946 and the other person was born between 28 September 1946 and 27 June 1960
- £150 each if you were both born before 28 September 1946
Couples making a joint claim for a qualifying benefit such as Pension Credit receive one payment: £200 if both were born between 28 September 1946 and 27 June 1960, or £300 if one or both were born before 28 September 1946.
The £300 rate applies only to people born before 28 September 1946 who live alone, get a benefit individually or claim jointly.
Do You Need to Apply for the Winter Fuel Payment in 2026/27?
You do not need to apply in most cases: the payment arrives automatically, and a letter in October or November states your amount.
You should check the eligibility rules first. GOV.UK confirms that all individuals over State Pension age will receive the payment automatically, regardless of which specific benefits they claim.
You must manually claim only if you have never received the payment before or if you have deferred claiming your State Pension since your last payment. Putting off a State Pension claim is called deferring it. Claims for the 2026/27 winter opened on 21 September 2026.
Last winter’s window for claims closed on 31 March 2026, so claiming soon after opening is the safer route.
Is the Winter Fuel Payment Taxable? How the £35,000 Rule Works
The Winter Fuel Payment is not taxed as income, but HMRC takes the full amount back if a person’s total income is over £35,000. The recovery appears as a separate charge, not as extra income tax on the payment itself.
The £35,000 rule is a recovery test, not an eligibility cut-off. Eligible pensioners still receive the payment. If a person’s own total income for the tax year is over £35,000, HMRC takes back the full amount; at £35,000 or less, the payment is kept. A partner’s income does not count.
Income that typically counts includes:
- Earnings and self-employed profits
- State Pension, workplace pensions and personal pensions
- Savings interest outside ISAs, dividends and rental income
ISA income, the Winter Fuel Payment itself and tax-free benefits such as Pension Credit and Attendance Allowance are left out. Four common assumptions do not match the official guidance:
| Common assumption | What the official guidance says |
|---|---|
| Income over £35,000 means no payment. | The payment is still paid, and HMRC takes the full amount back afterwards. |
| A partner’s income counts towards the £35,000. | Only the individual’s own total income counts. |
| The payment can be sent back early. | Only HMRC recovers it, and the recipient cannot return it. |
| The opt-out window is still open. | The window closed on 20 September 2026 online and 18 September 2026 by phone. |
How HMRC Takes the Payment Back
- PAYE (Pay As You Earn): If you pay tax through this system, HMRC changes your tax code and contacts you by email or post. The tax code tells your employer or pension provider how much tax-free income to allow.
- Self Assessment: If you file an annual tax return, the amount shows as a “Winter Fuel Payment charge” in your tax calculation.
HMRC says recovering a £200 payment through PAYE typically costs about £17 a month over a tax year. The worked example on GOV.UK shows the mechanism: at £37,710 income, the tax code reduces the tax-free amount by £1,000 (£1,000 × 20% = £200), and at £65,300 it reduces it by £500 (£500 × 40% = £200).
From January 2027, HMRC collects two payments at once if a 2025 payment is still being repaid, adding roughly £30 to £33 a month where both payments were £200.
Unless a person opts out, HMRC changes the code again in April 2027 to keep collecting the 2026 payment and start collecting the 2027 payment in advance.
Can You Still Opt Out?
Not for this winter: the window closed at 11:59 PM on 20 September 2026 online and 6 PM on 18 September 2026 by phone. A person who opted out earlier receives no payment in later years unless they opt in again, and opting out does not affect the State Pension.
A person who opted out can still receive the 2026/27 payment by contacting the Winter Fuel Payment Centre before 31 March 2027.
When Does the Winter Fuel Payment Reach Your Bank Account?
Most eligible people are paid in November or December 2026. A letter in October or November states how much the payment will be.
Repayment, where it applies, is a separate step: the money arrives first, and HMRC adjusts the tax code afterwards. If neither the letter nor the money has arrived by 27 January 2027, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre; its contact number is 0800 731 0160.
Who to Contact About Winter Fuel Payment Problems
The Winter Fuel Payment Centre handles missing payments, changes of circumstances and opting back in, while HMRC handles tax code changes.
| If this happens | Contact | Details |
|---|---|---|
| The letter or payment is missing by 27 January 2027 | Winter Fuel Payment Centre | Helpline 0800 731 0160 |
| An address, personal detail or care home changes | Winter Fuel Payment Centre | Report it as soon as possible |
| An opted-out person wants the 2026/27 payment | Winter Fuel Payment Centre | Contact before 31 March 2027 |
| The tax code changes or looks wrong | HMRC | Use the contact details on HMRC’s email or letter |
| A call, email or text looks suspicious | GOV.UK | Use the report suspicious messages page |
An email enquiry form and Relay UK (18001 then 0800 731 0160) are also available for the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.
If your payment has not arrived by 27 January 2027:
- Check the bank account named in your letter.
- Have your name, address, date of birth and National Insurance number ready.
- Call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160 or use its email enquiry form.
- If you disagree with a decision on a claim, ask for mandatory reconsideration, a formal request for the decision to be looked at again.
Treat any call, email or text asking for your bank details or passwords as a possible scam, because GOV.UK warns that such messages could be one.
Conclusion
The Andy Burnham DWP winter payment is the standard 2026/27 Winter Fuel Payment, not a new scheme: people born on or before 27 June 1960 receive £100 to £300, mostly in November or December. The payment is not taxable as income, but HMRC recovers it where total income exceeds £35,000.
Cold Weather Payment (for some benefit claimants in freezing spells) and the £150 Warm Home Discount offer further heating help.
FAQs
How much winter payment will pensioners get?
Pensioners get between £100 and £300 for winter 2026/27. The amount depends on birth date, who they live with and benefits received during the qualifying week of 21 to 27 September 2026.
Which pensioners get the £300 payment?
Pensioners born before 28 September 1946 get £300 if they live alone, get a qualifying benefit individually or claim jointly. The £300 rate in coverage of the Andy Burnham DWP winter payment is the standard Winter Fuel Payment rate.
Do UK pensioners living abroad get winter fuel allowance?
No. People who usually live outside England, Wales or Northern Ireland are not eligible, according to GOV.UK. Winter fuel allowance is the older name for the Winter Fuel Payment, and Scotland has a separate Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.
Can you still cancel the 2026/27 Winter Fuel Payment?
If you are eligible but do not wish to receive the payment, you can contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre to cancel it. You may choose to cancel it if your total individual income exceeds £35,000 and you wish to avoid the HMRC PAYE or Self Assessment recovery process.
Entitlement depends on individual circumstances and official assessment by DWP and HMRC. Figures reflect rates published on GOV.UK as of 17 October 2026; readers should confirm current details on GOV.UK before making a decision.
