Government support to help you keep your home warm this winter
As the temperatures start to go down and the energy bills go up, you might feel like you can’t afford to put the heating on. But there is help available.
On 1 October 2025 the energy price cap will rise by 2%.
The energy price cap sets a limit for what you pay for each unit of gas and electricity that you use. It also sets a maximum daily standing charge.
So the increase could mean you'll be paying more for gas and electricity during some of the coldest months of the year, which might put you off keeping the heating on.
In fact, research by charity Age UK found that three in four people aged 66 and over said they were cold in their own home in January 2025.
But there is support available. Read on to find out if you could get support from the government to heat your home this winter.
The different types of government support available this winter
There are four schemes available to help you keep the heating on this winter:
- Winter Fuel Payment
- Cold Weather Payment
- Warm Home Discount
- Affordable Warmth Scheme (only available to people living in Northern Ireland).
You might also be able to get help with essential costs through your local council via the 'Household Support Fund'.
All information below is correct at time of writing. Please check the official pages for the most up to date details about the schemes.
| Winter Fuel Payment | Cold Weather Payment | Warm Home Discount Scheme | Affordable Warmth Scheme | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who can get it? | People born before 22 September 1959 who live in England or Wales. | People receiving certain benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest. | People receiving the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit.
People on a low income who meet specific criteria. |
People living in Northern Ireland who has a yearly income under £23,000 and either:
There are some exceptions to this rule. |
| How much do you get? | Anywhere from £100 and £300, depending on a number of factors. | £25 for each seven-day period where the average temperature in your area drops to zero celsius or below. | £150 off your electricity bill (or gas bill if eligible), directly applied to your bill. | A grant of up to £7,500, with some applicants getting up to £10,000. |
| How do you apply? | Most should receive it automatically, but some might need to make a claim. | You should receive it automatically, but you might have to notify Jobcentre Plus if there are children under five in your household. | You should get the discount automatically, with some exceptions. | You can apply by getting in touch with the Northern Ireland Energy Advice service by phone or e-mail. |
| When do you get it? | Between November and 28 January. | Between 1 November and 31 March. | Between October and March. | You can apply at any time and you'll receive your grant once any recommended construction is finished. |
Please be aware, there are a few rules and exceptions and the schemes differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Winter Fuel Payment
Who can get the Winter Fuel Payment?
The Winter Fuel Payment is for anyone born before 22 September 1959 who's living in England or Wales. People living in Northern Ireland might also be eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment from the Northern Ireland Executive.
However, you won't be eligible to receive the Winter Fuel Payment if you:
- live in Scotland (you might be able to claim a Pension Age Winter Heating Payment instead)
- were in hospital getting free treatment for the whole of the week of 15 to 21 September 2025 and the year before that
- need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave says you can’t claim public funds
- were in prison for the whole of the week of 15 to 21 September 2025.
How do you claim?
Most people will get the Winter Fuel Payment automatically, if they're eligible.
However you might need to claim if you're not receiving certain benefits and either of these apply:
- you've not got the Winter Fuel Payment before
- you've deferred your State Pension since your last Winter Fuel Payment.
You can claim by post from 15 September 2025, or by phone from 13 October 2025.
The deadline to claim for this winter's payment is 31 March 2026.
Head over to the government's Winter Fuel Payment page to more details on how to claim.
Please be aware - if your income is over £35,000, HMRC will take back your Winter Fuel Payment.
Opting out of the Winter Fuel Payment
You can opt out of the Winter Fuel Payment if you don't want to receive it.
For the 2025/26 payment you'll need to do this by 12 September 2025 if opting out by phone, or by 14 September 2025 if opting out via the online form.
How much is the Winter Fuel Payment?
How much you can get in your Winter Fuel Payment depends on a few factors and it can get a bit complicated!
Most people who are eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment will receive a letter in October/November 2025 telling how much they’re going to receive.
Any money you receive is tax-free and won’t affect other benefits.
If you live alone or no-one living with you is eligible for the payment
You’ll get:
- £200 if you were born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959
- £300 if you were born before 22 September 1945.
If you live with someone else who’s eligible
If you’re living with someone else who’s also eligible to receive the Winter Fuel Payment, how much you get will depend on any benefits that you and the person you live with claim and both your ages.
Generally speaking, the older you are and the more benefits you’re already entitled to, the higher your payment is likely to be.
If you live in a care home
If you’re eligible, you’ll get either:
- £100 if you were born between 22 September 1945 and 21 September 1959
- £150 if you were born before 22 September 1945.
When will the Winter Fuel Payment be paid?
Most payments will be made automatically in November or December 2025.
If you don't get a letter or the money hasn't been paid into your account by 29 January 2026, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.
Cold Weather Payment
Who can get the Cold Weather Payment?
The Cold Weather Payment is paid to people receiving Pension Credit if the temperature in their area drops to zero degrees celsius or below for at least seven days in a row between 1 November and 31 March.
This payment is available for people living in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and it’s been replaced by the Winter Heating Payment in Scotland.
Some other benefits make you eligible for this payment, but only if you meet certain other conditions. You can find the full list of benefits, as well as the conditions you have to meet to qualify, on the Cold Weather Payment page on the government website.
If you live in Scotland
The Cold Weather Payment has been replaced by the Winter Heating Payment in Scotland. Unlike the Cold Weather Payment, this scheme doesn’t take into account the temperature in your area.
This payment is available for anyone claiming Pension Credit, as well as anyone who claims specific benefits and meets a few other conditions.
How much is the Cold Weather Payment?
You’ll get £25 for every seven days in a row where the temperature in your area is zero degrees celsius or lower.
If you live in Scotland
The Winter Heating Payment is paid once a year, as a one-off payment of £59.75.
When will you get the Cold Weather Payment?
If temperatures in your area drop to zero degrees or below for at least seven days in a row, you should get a payment within 14 working days of that happening.
You can check if any payments are due in your area of England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
If you haven’t received a Cold Weather Payment but you think you might be eligible, you should get in touch with the Pension Service (if you’re claiming Pension Credit) or Jobcentre Plus (if you’re claiming any of the other benefits).
If you live in Scotland
Your one-time Winter Heating Payment should be paid sometime between December and February.
You’ll get a letter from Social Security Scotland to let you know when your payment is on its way.
Warm Home Discount Scheme
Who’s eligible for the Warm Home Discount Scheme?
Eligibility for the Warm Home Discount Scheme depends on the following criteria:
If you live in England or Wales
You could qualify for the Warm Home Discount Scheme if you either:
- get the Guaranteed Credit element of Pension Credit
- are on a low income and your energy costs are high.
If you live in Scotland
You could qualify for the Warm Home Discount Scheme if you either:
- get the Guaranteed Credit element of Pension Credit
- are on a low income in Scotland and meet your energy supplier's criteria for the scheme.
How much do you get from the Warm Home Discount Scheme?
You should get a one-off £150 discount on your electricity bill for winter 2025/26.
This discount will be directly applied to your bill, so you won’t receive any money yourself. You'll usually get this automatically if you're eligible, but you might have to apply if you’re on a low income in Scotland.
You can also qualify for the discount if you're on a pre-paid or pay-as-you-go electricity meter. If this applies to you, your supplier will contact you to let you know how to claim the discount.
If you get both gas and electricity from your supplier, you might be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead, but you’ll have to get in touch with your supplier to find out.
When will the Warm Home Discount be applied?
Your discount should be applied to your bill between October 2025 and 31 March 2026.
This discount doesn't affect your Winter Fuel Payment or Cold Weather Payment.
Affordable Warmth Scheme
The Affordable Warmth Scheme is different from other types of government support. Rather than a payment you receive in your bank account or a discount on your electricity bill, this scheme lets you apply for funding to help you make changes to your home.
For that reason, if you live in Northern Ireland and you feel like this scheme could be right for you, we recommend having a look at the Affordable Warmth Scheme website.
Who can apply for the Affordable Warmth Scheme?
The Affordable Warmth Scheme is only available in Northern Ireland. You can apply for this scheme if you:
- own the property you live in, or
- rent from a private landlord and earn less than £23,000 a year.
This scheme isn’t available for people living in social housing or if you’re a Housing Executive or a tenant of a housing association. The property can’t be a holiday home, a bed and breakfast or a business.
How much can you get under the Affordable Warmth Scheme?
After you apply for the grant, someone will come to check your home. You’ll then be told what kind of work you need to do and what your priorities should be. You’ll also be told how much money you can get under the scheme.
You could get up to £7,500 through the Affordable Warmth Scheme, with some homes being eligible for grants of up to £10,000 if they need special insulation.
When will you receive your Affordable Warmth Scheme money?
You can apply for an Affordable Warmth Scheme grant at any time. You'll receive your grant once the recommended construction work has been completed.
Keeping warm this winter
We hope that all our members are able to stay warm this winter. But if that isn’t the case, take a look at our money worries page and please get in touch to find out how we can support you.
Winter government support
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