Winter Fuel Payments extension confirmed for this winter – watch Martin Lewis' instant response and his message to the Chancellor
Winter Fuel Payments will be extended to more pensioners this winter – though not to everyone – the Chancellor has today confirmed. However, exact details of who will now qualify still remain scant. Watch MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis give his instant response, as well as his key message for Rachel Reeves.
Update: Monday 9 June 2025: Winter Fuel Payments will be reinstated to all pensioners in England and Wales this winter – but will be clawed back automatically from those earning over £35,000 a year, the Government has confirmed. For how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement, see our new Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated MSE News story.
The Chancellor told reporters at an event today (Wednesday 4 June) that "more people will get Winter Fuel Payment this winter", adding that further details will be announced "as soon as we possibly can". She said: "People should be in no doubt that the means test will increase and more people will get Winter Fuel Payment this winter."
Martin Lewis: 'Instant response to Winter Fuel Payment news and key message to the Chancellor'
Watch Martin give his instant response to today's Winter Fuel Payment news and listen to his key message to the Chancellor. A quick note from Martin first: "I heard [this] while walking to the office, so please forgive the fact it was done there and then for speed."
"So, I'm delighted to hear the news that the Chancellor has said the changes to Winter Fuel Payment will be coming in this winter, though we don't have any other further details.
"The statement says that they will increase the level of the means test. Now, I thought it would be worth explaining the two issues I've always had with the way that the Winter Fuel Payments means test has been put in place.
"The first one is level. Currently, for a single pensioner, only those earning under £11,800 a year get the £200 or £300 Winter Fuel help. Now, with energy bills still being high and the other support for energy having been taken away, that really was a big hit to the many pensioners just above that limit.
"So I'm hoping that we'll see the threshold increase substantially from £11,800, up to £20,000 or more. Or perhaps they might only do it and link it to a higher-rate taxpayers.
"The other question, and this one still remains, and it's one of the main reasons I wanted to put this out there is the method of the means testing. The means test is that they linked Winter Fuel Payment to getting Pension Credit.
"Now, Pension Credit has long been a flawed benefit, that is critically under-claimed. And even now, after all the communication over Winter Fuel, there are still 700,000 eligible pensioners who should get Pension Credit and thus Winter Fuel Payments who don't, because they don't claim.
"Often it will be vulnerable people with onset dementia, or people who just don't go through what can be a complicated process, especially on forms, or the message hasn't been passed across to them because it's quite difficult to explain the level of income that you need, when it comes to combining all your total income to get it.
"So let's just put that in perspective. 700,000 people who have total income of under £11,800 pounds a year are missing out on Winter Fuel Payment, even though that's the level the Government says they should get it.
"So my big message to the Chancellor; don't just increase the threshold. You have to look at the means test mechanism to make sure that the most vulnerable pensioners in this country, if they have income that is below your threshold, actually get Winter Fuel Payments. And my fingers are crossed they'll be listening."
Read Martin's full transcript
Not everyone will get the Winter Fuel Payment
Pensions minister Torsten Bell today told MPs that, while more pensioners will be eligible, there is no prospect of returning to universal winter fuel payments.
Speaking to the Work and Pensions Committee, Mr Bell said: "Directly on your question of is there any prospect of a universal Winter Fuel Payment, the answer is no, the principle I think most people, 95% of people, agree, that it's not a good idea that we have a system paying a few hundreds of pounds to millionaires, and so we're not going to be continuing with that. But we will be looking at making more pensioners eligible."
Until winter 2024/25, Winter Fuel Payments worth up to £300 were made available to EVERYONE above State Pension age in the UK. The benefit was restricted last winter to just those on benefits and Pension Credit. At the time, Martin said the changes were "too narrow" and urged the Government to include a wider group.
Winter Fuel Payment – the rules across the UK
Changes to Winter Fuel Payment applied across the UK in 2024/25.
However, the Scottish Government has previously confirmed that a new equivalent 'Pension Age Winter Heating Payment' will be paid by Social Security Scotland from 2025/26 – though it has said the eligibility and payment amounts will be the same as those in England and Wales.
Commenting on this latest news, social justice secretary for the Scottish Government, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said: "I welcome any extension of eligibility by the UK Government, but there is still no detail about how the Chancellor intends to go about that." She added that the UK Government should share its plans "as quickly as possible", so the Scottish Government can "understand any implications".
Check you're not missing out on help you're entitled to
Up to 800,000 people who are eligible for Pension Credit don't currently get it, and it's often a key to qualifying for other help – so may unlock £1,000s of extra support. Use our 10-minute benefits check to see what you could get.
Additional reporting from the Press Association.
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8 July 2025
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