Winter Fuel Payment: Taking stock of a huge announcement

After today’s news about the UK Government changing the eligibility criteria for Winter Fuel Payment, Campaigns Manager George Stanbury explores what these changes will mean and how Independent Age campaigners have made a difference.

For almost a year, Independent Age has been campaigning for the UK Government to review the eligibility for Winter Fuel Payment, so that more older people in financial hardship receive this vital income top-up.

Thanks to the hard work of tens of thousands of our supporters, today that change has become a reality. The UK Government has announced that it will reinstate Winter Fuel Payment for any older person earning £35,000 or less a year, meaning that millions of older people in financial hardship will receive up to £300 extra support in time for winter.

How did we get here?

In July 2024, the UK Government restricted Winter Fuel Payment to Pension Credit recipients, leaving nearly one million eligible older people without support, alongside many more struggling on low incomes. The impact was devastating — 1.6 million older people in poverty lost their payment last year, and our Helpline and Advice services were flooded with calls from those terrified about their finances.

We moved quickly to try and lessen the impact of the changes. As well as helping more older people access the financial support they were entitled to, we’ve briefed MPs and worked with older people to share their experiences. We welcomed the Scottish Government’s decision to mitigate this change by providing a minimum payment of £100 to all older people living in Scotland from winter 2025. Working with our dedicated supporters, we delivered a 500,000 signature petition with other organisations, placed an ice sculpture outside Tate Modern and sent 15,000 letters to MPs, pressuring for change.

Public pressure has played a vital role in securing action, and we’ve been making sure this issue stays front and centre. We’ve secured strong media coverage to keep attention on the urgent need for Winter Fuel Payment to be given to those who need it. The more awareness and pressure we have created together, the harder it has been for decision-makers to ignore the growing demand for help.

But this campaign hasn’t been just about policymakers — it’s been about all of us, standing up for a policy that has had a hugely negative impact on older people in financial hardship. Campaigners like you have been instrumental in driving change, keeping the momentum going, and ensuring that those in power feel the weight of public concern.

What today’s decision means

The UK Government’s decision to look again at Winter Fuel Payment is a huge victory.

Right up until today, we’ve been in discussions with MPs and officials, making the case for a change that offers a safety net to more older people on a low income — not just for those on Pension Credit. It’s so important that this change will mean this vital income will reach millions more older people in financial hardship. We know that there are hundreds of thousands of older people who aren’t receiving the financial support they’re entitled to, and so risked falling through the cracks if the threshold for Winter Fuel Payment were too miserly, or linked to receiving financial support like Pension Credit.

Overall, this decision means that every older person on a low income in England and Wales will receive Winter Fuel Payment, which is a welcome step in the right direction. We await news from the Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Assembly about how they will use any extra funding that results from today’s announcement.

What’s next?

While there’s lots to be pleased about today, this isn’t a silver bullet that will resolve poverty in later life.

In fact, for many today simply undoes the huge financial harm losing their Winter Fuel Payment caused last winter. We’ll continue to campaign to ensure the UK Government prioritises poverty in later life, and puts in place the solutions we need to see to tackle financial hardship in older age.

That means rolling out a strategy to ensure older people get the financial support they’re entitled to, and establishing an adequate income for later life. We’ll be watching, we’ll be pushing, and we won’t stop fighting for older people living on a low income.

Join our Campaigns Network to follow us on this journey.

If you or someone you know is in need of support, you can find information and advice on our website. You can also speak to our advisers via our free Helpline on 0800 319 6789.