DWP WFP on a bank statement identifies a Winter Fuel Payment from the Department for Work and Pensions.
It is an annual payment towards winter heating costs for eligible older people. The reference normally includes your National Insurance number before “DWP WFP”.
DWP has confirmed this format in its Winter Fuel Payment announcement.
A masked illustration would look like this:
AB••••••C DWP WFP
The dots above hide personal information for this example. Your bank may display the reference differently.
To check the transaction, compare the amount with your payment letter and confirm that it appears as money received. A familiar reference helps identify the payment, but it does not establish that the amount or entitlement is correct.
If you are checking an older statement, use the rules for that winter. The amounts and dates below apply to 2026–27.
Last Updated: 01.09.2026
What About Northern Ireland and Scotland?
Northern Ireland statements can show DFC WFP, referring to the Department for Communities. This reference is documented in an earlier government payment announcement.
In Scotland, the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment has replaced the Winter Fuel Payment.
Social Security Scotland administers it, with its own payment amounts and arrangements. Scottish residents should therefore check their Scottish payment letter rather than assume the DWP table below applies.
Why Have You Received £100, £150, £200 or £300?
The 2026–27 payment bands are:
- Younger band: Born from 28 September 1946 to 27 June 1960
- Older band: Born before 28 September 1946
In this table, “specified benefits” means Pension Credit, Universal Credit or income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
| Your Circumstances | Younger Band | Older Band |
| You are the only eligible person at home | £200 | £300 |
| You live with an eligible younger person and neither receives specified benefits | £100 | £200 |
| You live with an eligible older person and neither receives specified benefits | £100 | £150 |
| You receive a specified benefit through an individual claim | £200 | £300 |
| You are an eligible care-home resident | £100 | £150 |
For couples jointly claiming a specified benefit, one partner receives £200 if both are in the younger band, or £300 if either is in the older band.
These official payment amounts explain why partners can receive different sums. A younger and older couple receiving none of the specified benefits can receive £100 and £200 respectively.
Who Qualifies for Winter Fuel Payment in 2026–27?
You can qualify if you were born on or before 27 June 1960 and normally live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. The qualifying week is 21–27 September 2026.
Receiving a payment automatically and meeting the eligibility conditions are separate matters. You do not necessarily have to receive a state pension to qualify.
However, exclusions apply. These include being in prison throughout the qualifying week, certain prolonged stays in hospital for free treatment, and immigration conditions that prevent access to public funds.
Care-home residents need an additional check. You are excluded if you receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit or income-related ESA and have lived continuously in a care home from 29 June 2026 or earlier, as set out in the current eligibility rules.
Will You Be Paid Automatically or Need to Claim?
Most eligible people receive the payment automatically. Benefits that can trigger automatic payment include State Pension, Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment and Carer’s Allowance, among others.
Receiving one of these benefits does not remove the age and residency requirements. For example, someone below the qualifying age does not become eligible simply because they receive PIP.
If you receive none of the benefits on the official list, you need to claim if you have never received Winter Fuel Payment before, or if you have deferred your State Pension since your last payment.
Claims for winter 2026–27 open on 21 September 2026. Check the claiming requirements before assuming a payment will arrive automatically.
When Will Your Payment Arrive, and What If It Looks Wrong?
Most Winter Fuel Payments arrive during November or December 2026. The payment letter tells you the amount and which account will receive it, usually the account used for your State Pension or other benefits.
Under the official payment timetable, you should contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre if you have not received a letter or the money by 27 January 2027.
Before treating a payment as missing, check the account named in the letter, including an older account if you have recently changed banks.
Search transactions across the payment period rather than looking only at the date someone else was paid.
What Should You Check First?
| Problem | What to Do |
| No payment or letter | Check eligibility, whether you need to claim, and the January contact date |
| Less money than expected | Compare your birth-date band, household and benefit circumstances with the amount table |
| Two payments that appear identical | Record both transaction dates, amounts and references, then ask the payment centre to investigate |
| Payment after a change in circumstances | Report the change and ask whether it affects entitlement |
| Payment you believe you were not entitled to | Ask for an entitlement check before spending the disputed amount |
Keep a note of your query and any reference number provided. This makes a follow-up easier if you need to contact the service again.
Who Should You Contact?
The Winter Fuel Payment Centre telephone number is 0800 731 0160, with opening hours of Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Have your name, address, date of birth and National Insurance number available.
Report relevant changes promptly, including moving home or entering a care home.
The payment centre’s contact and overpayment guidance confirms that money paid by mistake may need to be repaid. An administrative error does not automatically entitle you to keep it.
For a Scottish Pension Age Winter Heating Payment query, use the Social Security Scotland contact route on your payment letter.
Be cautious if an unexpected message asks you to click a link to claim winter support.
DWP advises forwarding suspicious payment texts to 7726. Open the official government website yourself when checking contact details or making a claim.
Do You Need to Repay the Payment or Opt Out?
Winter Fuel Payment is described as tax-free, but a separate recovery rule applies where your individual income exceeds £35,000. Receiving the money does not necessarily mean you can retain it.
How Does the £35,000 Income Threshold Work?
HMRC considers each recipient separately. A couple’s combined income exceeding £35,000 does not automatically mean both payments must be returned.
For example, if one partner has income of £38,000 and the other has £24,000, the higher-income partner’s payment is recoverable. The other partner can retain theirs, assuming they otherwise qualify.
The full payment is recovered when the threshold is exceeded, rather than only the income above £35,000. At exactly £35,000, this income-based recovery does not apply.
The income assessment can include State Pension, private pensions, employment earnings, savings interest, dividends and relevant profits.
HMRC’s repayment guidance explains what to count and how recovery through a tax code or Self Assessment works.
This is separate from repayment of money received because of an entitlement error. Do not assume an income below £35,000 allows you to keep an incorrect payment.
How to Opt Out for 2026–27?
There is a formal opt-out process.
The deadlines are:
- Online: Before 11:59pm on 20 September 2026
- By telephone: Before 6pm on 18 September 2026
You can use the online opt-out form or, if you receive State Pension, the Manage your State Pension service. The official opt-out process does not affect your State Pension.
An opt-out continues into future years until you opt back in. If you already opted out, check whether you need to reverse that decision because your circumstances have changed.
If you receive the payment and fall within the income recovery rules, follow HMRC’s recovery process. The guidance says you cannot return it yourself instead.
How Does Winter Fuel Payment Compare With Other Heating Support?
Several schemes help with heating costs, but they work differently. Identifying the scheme helps explain why support may appear in your bank account, on an energy bill or through a separate Scottish payment.
| Scheme | Main Basis for Support | How Support Is Provided |
| Winter Fuel Payment | Age, residence and personal circumstances | Annual payment to an eligible recipient |
| Cold Weather Payment | Qualifying benefits and a sustained cold spell | Payment for each qualifying period |
| Warm Home Discount | Scheme eligibility and energy-supplier arrangements | £150 discount, usually on an electricity bill |
| Scotland’s Winter Heating Payment | Qualifying benefit circumstances | Annual payment independent of local weather |
Cold Weather Payment uses a recorded or forecast average temperature of 0°C or below over seven consecutive days. Scotland has Winter Heating Payment instead. This is separate from Scotland’s Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.
The Warm Home Discount is due to reopen in October 2026. It is generally applied by your supplier rather than paid into your bank account, and it does not reduce your Winter Fuel Payment. It is unavailable in Northern Ireland.
You can receive more than one form of support where you satisfy each scheme’s rules. If bills remain unaffordable, ask your supplier about payment support and check what assistance your council offers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is DWP WFP a Loan?
No. It is a winter heating benefit. However, income-based recovery and repayment of an incorrect award can still apply.
Why Did I Receive It Without Applying?
Most eligible recipients are paid automatically using existing pension or benefit records. Not submitting an application does not, by itself, indicate an error.
Can I Receive Winter Fuel Payment If I Live Abroad?
Current eligibility requires you normally to live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Scotland has a separate scheme. Older guidance about qualifying overseas residents should not be used for 2026–27.
Does Winter Fuel Payment Reduce My Other Benefits?
It does not reduce other benefits. That protection is separate from HMRC recovering the payment where individual income exceeds £35,000, as reflected in Northern Ireland’s current scheme guidance.
Why Does My Older Bank Statement Show a Larger Amount?
Some earlier winters included additional Pensioner Cost of Living support. Compare a historical transaction with the rules for its payment year, rather than the current table.
Does My National Insurance Number Prove the Payment Is Correct?
No. It helps identify the transaction. Check the amount against your payment letter and query anything that does not match your circumstances.
What If I Disagree With a Payment Decision?
You can challenge a Winter Fuel Payment decision by requesting a mandatory reconsideration. Follow the instructions and time limits in your decision letter.
