Pensioners urged to be alert to Winter Fuel Payment scams

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said pensioners should be on high alert as scams linked to Winter Fuel Payment recovery began this month. 

Winter Fuel Payments paid in winter 2025 will be recovered from pensioners with an income above £35,000. 

Nearly two million people are expected to repay the payment, mainly through an automatic process.

Over the last 12 months, HMRC received more than 25,000 scam referrals related to the Winter Fuel Payment. 

Scammers have been using texts, emails and phone calls to target pensioners as repayments start.

For most, the payment will be recovered by a change to their PAYE tax code from April. 

Self Assessment customers who file online will see the payment pre-filled in their 2025 to 2026 tax return due by 31st January 2027. 

Anyone using paper returns must add it themselves by 31st October 2026.

This process applies across the UK, including in Scotland where the payment is called the pension age winter heating payment, and in Northern Ireland, where payments were made by the Department for Work and Pensions. 

Myrtle Lloyd, chief customer officer at HMRC, said: “Criminals are great pretenders and often use fake letters, emails, calls and texts to impersonate HMRC and trick people into giving them money. 

“I’d encourage anyone who’s unsure to use our online tool at GOV.UK to check whether and how their payment will be recovered – there’s no need to call us.”