Announcement: Deadline to opt out of 2026/27 winter fuel payment is fast approaching
If you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and do not want to receive the 2026/27 winter fuel payment, you have until 20 September 2026 to opt out online, or until 18 September if you prefer to opt out by phone. This may be of particular interest if you expect your income for this tax year to be more than £35,000.
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2026/27 winter fuel payments
2026/27 winter fuel payments will be made during November and December 2026 to certain people born on or before 27 June 1960 living in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
If you are eligible, you should receive a letter in October or November confirming the amount you will receive. The amount of the payment depends on your circumstances but is generally between £100 and £300. It is usually paid automatically, but some people may need to make a claim.
The winter fuel payment charge
Winter fuel payments are non-taxable. However, if your individual income is over £35,000 for the tax year, HMRC will take your winter fuel payment back via the tax system – this is known as the ‘winter fuel payment charge’. In most cases, this will be done either through the PAYE system, or under Self Assessment if you complete an annual tax return.
You can find more information about the winter fuel payment charge, including what counts as ‘income’ for this purpose, in our guidance page here.
Opting out of the winter fuel payment
If you would prefer not to receive the winter fuel payment, you can choose to opt out of receiving it. Anyone can opt out, but this is likely to be of particular interest if you know that your income for the 2026/27 tax year will be more than £35,000 and you would prefer not to receive the winter fuel payment only to have it taken back by HMRC.
The deadline depends on how you opt out:
- By telephone – you must call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre before 6pm on 18 September 2026.
- Online – you must opt out before 11.59pm on 20 September 2026. You can complete the online opt-out form, or use the ‘manage your state pension’ service if you get a state pension. The links to these pages can be found on GOV.UK.
You will need to provide your National Insurance number when opting out by phone or online.
Useful links
HMRC have produced an online tool that can help you to check if your income might exceed the £35,000 threshold.
There is further information about the winter fuel payment on GOV.UK, including how to check if you are eligible and if you need to claim the payment.
If you live in Scotland
If you live in Scotland, there is a separate scheme, called the ‘pension age winter heating payment’. This is very similar – though not identical – to the winter fuel payment scheme in the rest of the UK. This Scottish scheme also allows for the payment to be taken back where a person’s income exceeds £35,000. You can read about this separate scheme and the opt-out process on mygov.scot.
The Scottish Government has confirmed that the online opt-out form will be available on mygov.scot until midday on 19 October 2026. You can also opt out by calling Social Security Scotland.
