Overview
- From April, HMRC will write to potentially millions who received the Winter Fuel Payment and whose personal taxable income exceeded £35,000.
- The payment, worth £100 to £300, was issued in November and December to people born before 22 September 1959 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and before 21 September 1959 in Scotland.
- Repayments will usually be recovered through 2026–27 tax-code changes or added to 2025–26 tax bills for Self Assessment filers, and no interest will be charged.
- Official letters will state that no action is required and will not request bank or personal information, so recipients should ignore texts, emails or calls seeking details or payment.
- From 1 April 2026, households can opt out of the 2026–27 payment, and HMRC plans to collect future amounts in advance in 2027–28, which could mean temporarily larger monthly deductions.