If you or a family member receives the winter fuel payment and would rather not, time is running out to opt out for winter 2026 to 2027.
Everyone over state pension age qualifies for the winter fuel payment again this year, worth between £100 and £300 depending on age and circumstances.
However, anyone with taxable income above £35,000 will have the payment clawed back through the tax system, either through a change to their tax code or via self-assessment.
The opt-out deadlines
Pensioners who would prefer not to receive the payment, rather than have it recovered later, can opt out instead.
Requests made by phone or post need to be with the Winter Fuel Payment Centre by 18 September 2026. Anyone using the Manage your State Pension service online has a little longer, until 11.59pm on 20 September 2026.
What happens if you miss it
Anyone who doesn’t opt out in time will still receive the payment automatically, with payments starting from November 2026.
If your income is over the threshold, this simply means an adjustment to your tax code or an extra line on your self-assessment return rather than a lost payment.
Missing the deadline isn’t the end of the world, but opting out can save the hassle for those who already know they’ll be affected.
Talk to our team
If you’re not sure whether you’ll be affected or want help understanding what this means for your tax position, please get in touch with our team.
