A three-month rule means your winter fuel payment will be reduced to £100 this week
Some state pensioners will only get £100 this winter (Image: Getty)
A three-month rule is set to see some state pensioners have their Winter Fuel Payment slashed in half to just £100.
This week, September 15 to 21, is the most important week of the year for pensioners looking to secure their Winter Fuel Payment for this coming winter. That’s because it’s your personal circumstances in this seven-day period which determine whether you qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment and how much you’ll get.
Last year, the government changed the rules to tie the payment to Pension Credit, which meant you’d need to be claiming the low-income benefit in order to qualify. This year, the rules have changed to allow state pensioners to earn up to £35,000 and still keep the money.
Normally, the standard Winter Fuel Payment is set at £200, but this can rise to £300 if you’re aged over 80 by this qualifying week.
However, there are some circumstances in which the payment is cut in half, down to £100 if you’re under 80 or £150 for over-80s.
This is because there is a three-month rule for those who lived in care homes leading up to this qualifying week. If you were in a care home between June 23 and September 21, 2025, and you don’t receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit, income-related Employment or Support Allowance, your payment will be cut in half to just £100 or £150.
If you live in a care home and do claim one of the aforementioned benefits, you won’t be entitled to a payment at all.
Age UK explains: “You’re not entitled to Winter Fuel Payment if you live in a care home from 23 June to 21 September 2025 and you receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit or income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
“If you live in a care home and you don’t receive one of these benefits, your Winter Fuel Payment is £100 if you are under 80, if you are aged 80 or older it is £150.”
There are other circumstances in which your payment may be reduced too. For example, if you are over 80 and live with someone else over 80 who also qualifies for a Winter Fuel Payment, you will receive £150 instead of £300.
If you’re a state pensioner under 80 and live with someone who qualifies for a payment, you only get £100.
If you do qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment, you will automatically get the money and you do not need to do anything. The DWP will be sending out letters in October and November and the payments should follow in November or December.
