Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to review the cut-off date of 22 September 2025 for people reaching the state pension age of 66 for Winter Fuel Payment.

It is longstanding policy that Winter Fuel Payments are paid only to people who have reached State Pension age on or before the end of the qualifying week (the week beginning the third Monday of September each year) and meet certain other entitlement conditions.

For winter 2025/26, the qualifying week for Winter Fuel Payments will be 15 to 21 September 2025, and the person needs to have reached State Pension age by the end of the qualifying week to be eligible (that is, they need to have been born before 22 September 1959).

There are no plans to change or review this policy.