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What changes you need to report

If your circumstances change this may affect whether you qualify for Winter Fuel Payment or the amount you can get.

You will need to report changes such as:

• you or someone else eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment moves in or out of your house
• you or someone else eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment moves into or goes to live in a care home
• someone who was eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment in the household dies
• you change your bank account details
• you move abroad

If you live or are moving abroad – see ‘Winter Fuel Payment Abroad’ below.

Who you need to contact depends on which of the following describes your situation.

You have received a Winter Fuel Payment before

If you’re already receiving a Winter Fuel Payment then you need to contact the office that usually makes your payments.

You can find your contact details on any of your Winter Fuel Payment correspondence.

If you have a general query you can contact the Winter Fuel Payment Helpline.

• Winter Fuel Payments Helpline

You have not received Winter Fuel Payment before

If you’re claiming for the first time and the information in your claim form is now wrong then you need to report it. You need to contact the Winter Fuel Payment Helpline.

• Winter Fuel Payments Helpline

If you used to receive a benefit or State Pension in the past

See ‘If you used to receive a benefit or State Pension in the past’ below to find out what to do next.

If you live in the UK and you think your payment is incorrect

Check the payment information in ‘Winter Fuel Payment – how much you can get and when you'll be paid’.

If you believe you have been paid the wrong amount, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Helpline.

• Winter Fuel Payment - how much you can get and when you'll be paid

• Winter Fuel Payments Helpline

Winter Fuel Payment abroad

If you live abroad, you may be able to receive Winter Fuel Payments if all the following apply:

• you have reached women’s State Pension age
• you live in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland
• you have a genuine and sufficient link with the UK, for example, you have lived or worked in the UK for most of your working life

If you are in custody under sentence during the qualifying week (17 to 23 September 2023) then you will not be eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment.

• Download 'Winter Fuel Payment claim form, EEA and Switzerland - current year 2012/2013 (WFP3EEA)' (PDF, 205K)

If you live in the EEA or Switzerland and you need to contact someone about your Winter Fuel Payment

The Winter Fuel Team at the International Pension Centre is responsible for making Winter Fuel Payments to people who live outside the UK.

Address all correspondence to the Winter Fuel Payment Team.

• International Pension Centre

If you used to receive a benefit or State Pension in the past

If you received Winter Fuel Payment and one of following in the past - but you don’t any longer, you must make a claim:

• State Pension
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Attendance Allowance
• Bereavement Benefit
• Carer’s Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance
• Graduated Retirement Benefit
• Incapacity Benefit
• Industrial Injuries Benefits
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• War Pension
• Widow’s Benefit