As the colder months approach, nearly nine million households in England and Wales are preparing to receive the Winter Fuel Payment of up to £300 for the 2025/26 season. These payments will begin rolling out from mid-November until December, provided automatically to eligible pensioners by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Recipients can expect to receive a letter in October or November detailing the payment amount and method. It’s important to note that the Winter Fuel Payment is automatic—no application is needed. However, pensioners earning above a certain threshold, typically £35,000, may see the payment reclaimed through HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) as part of their tax obligations.
With payments due soon, authorities have issued warnings about a resurgence of scam text messages falsely claiming to be from the DWP or HMRC. These fraudulent messages attempt to trick people, particularly the elderly—who are often the most vulnerable—into sharing personal details and bank information.
READ MORE: Birmingham Labour ‘Loses Grip on Power’ Amid Resignations and Strike
READ MORE: McDonald’s Sparks Outrage by Removing Beloved Bacon Roll from Breakfast Menu
Juliet Moran, Tech Director at TelephoneSystems.Cloud, emphasizes the risk: “We saw this scam earlier in the year, and with colder weather approaching, it may resurface. The scammers send messages inviting recipients to click a link to apply for the Winter Fuel Payment, misleading them into handing over sensitive data. Eligibility requires no application, and payments are automatic.”
Key tips to avoid falling victim include:
-
Ignore urgent or threatening messages: Genuine communications will never pressure you to act immediately.
-
Watch for spelling and grammar errors: Official government messages maintain high standards of language.
-
Never share personal or financial information: Neither the DWP nor HMRC requests such info via text or email.
-
Be cautious of links in messages: Legitimate material directs only to official Gov.uk pages or authorized HMRC webchats.
-
Verify sender details: Official government emails come from addresses ending in ‘gov.uk’; texts are typically not sent by the DWP requesting payment info.
Elderly family members and neighbors should be informed about these scams to protect them from potential financial loss. Stay alert and report any suspicious messages to the appropriate authorities.