Winter Fuel Payment Calculator 2026/27
Check your £200–£300 award and the new £35,000 HMRC income recovery
Last updated: June 2026
Winter Fuel Payment Calculator 2026/27
Estimate your Winter Fuel Payment and check whether HMRC will claw it back through the new £35,000 income test. Income is assessed per person – your partner's income does not count towards your own threshold.
What this calculator does
The Winter Fuel Payment is a tax-free annual sum that helps people over State Pension age with their heating bills. For winter 2026 to 2027 the rules changed significantly: while the payment is still made automatically to everyone born on or before 27 June 1960, HMRC now claws back the full amount from anyone whose individual taxable income is over £35,000. This calculator works out your gross award, how much (if any) HMRC will recover, and how much you actually get to keep.
It is designed for pensioners and their families who want to understand the new income-based recovery rule – especially couples, because the £35,000 threshold is tested per person rather than on combined household income. If one partner earns over £35,000 and the other does not, only the higher earner's share is recovered. The tool also handles the higher payment available to people aged 80 or over (those born before 28 September 1946) during the qualifying week of 21–27 September 2026.
How it works
The calculation follows three steps that mirror the official DWP and HMRC rules:
- Eligibility: You must have been born on or before 27 June 1960 to receive any payment for 2026/27.
- Award amount: A single eligible person gets £200, rising to £300 if born before 28 September 1946 (age 80+ in the qualifying week). In a couple where both qualify, each person's share is £100 (or £150 if 80+).
- Income recovery: HMRC recovers the full payment from any individual whose total taxable income exceeds £35,000. ISA income is excluded, and a partner's income never counts towards your own £35,000 limit.
Worked example
Janet (age 78, born 1948) and her husband David (age 81, born 1945) are a couple who both qualify. As a couple, Janet's share is £100 and David's share is £150 (he is 80+), for a gross household award of £250.
Janet's taxable income is £19,000, so she keeps her £100 in full. David has a workplace pension that pushes his taxable income to £38,000 – above the £35,000 threshold – so HMRC recovers his entire £150 through his tax code. The household therefore keeps £100 and HMRC recovers £150.
Frequently asked questions
Who qualifies for the Winter Fuel Payment in 2026/27?
Anyone born on or before 27 June 1960 who lives in England or Wales during the qualifying week of 21 to 27 September 2026. You usually receive it automatically if you get the State Pension or another qualifying benefit.
How much is the Winter Fuel Payment?
A single eligible person gets £200, or £300 if born before 28 September 1946 (aged 80 or over). In a couple where both qualify, each receives £100, or £150 each if aged 80 or over.
What is the £35,000 income rule?
From 2026/27, HMRC recovers the full Winter Fuel Payment from any individual whose total taxable income is over £35,000. It is collected automatically through your tax code or Self Assessment. The threshold is assessed per person, so your partner's income does not count towards yours.
Does my ISA or savings income count towards the £35,000?
ISA income is tax-free and does not count. Taxable savings interest, dividends, pensions, earnings and rental income do count. If your taxable income stays at or below £35,000 you keep the payment in full.
Source: figures verified against GOV.UK – Winter Fuel Payment and the GOV.UK guidance on paying back the Winter Fuel Payment (2026/27 rates).