The short answer
How to opt out of the 2026/27 Winter Fuel Payment before the deadline, why higher-income recipients may choose it and how to opt in again later.
If you expect your individual total income to be over £35,000 for 2026/27, you may decide to opt out of the Winter Fuel Payment rather than receive it and have the full amount recovered through the tax system. For the England, Wales and Northern Ireland scheme, GOV.UK says you can opt out online or by form before 11:59pm on 20 September 2026. The phone deadline for this period was earlier.
Current status on 22 September 2026: the published 20 September online/form deadline has passed. This guide therefore explains the decision, the published process and the next contact route; it does not promise that a late opt-out will be accepted. If you did not submit by the deadline, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre or use the current GOV.UK instructions rather than trying to treat the opt-out as a tax-return entry.
Opting out does not affect your State Pension. It also does not mean you have to opt out every year: GOV.UK says you will not receive future payments unless you contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre to opt in again. This page focuses on the decision and deadline; the broader Winter Fuel Payment guide covers eligibility, amounts and the tax charge.
Online opt-out deadline: 20 September
The £35,000 test is individual
Opting out continues into future years
Who may want to opt out?
The opt-out decision is most relevant if you are eligible for the 2026/27 Winter Fuel Payment and expect your own total income to exceed £35,000. Income can include State Pension, occupational or personal pensions, employment income, savings income, dividends, property income and other taxable amounts covered by the published rules.
The threshold is not a household threshold. Your partner's income is not added to yours for this test. A couple could therefore have different outcomes: one person may be above £35,000 and face the charge, while the other is below it. The payment amount also depends on age and household circumstances, so compare the likely payment with the tax charge rather than assuming every case is £200 or £300.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Is the payment for England, Wales or Northern Ireland? | This opt-out route is for the GOV.UK Winter Fuel Payment; Scotland has a separate scheme. |
| Is your own total income over £35,000? | HMRC can recover the full payment when the charge applies. |
| Do you know your household payment amount? | The amount varies with age and household circumstances. |
| Are you receiving an exempt means-tested benefit? | Some specified benefits can exempt a person from the charge. |
| Have you already opted out? | GOV.UK says the opt-out can continue into future years until you opt in again. |
Do not opt out solely because your household income is above £35,000. The relevant test is your own income, subject to the published exceptions and calculation rules.
How to opt out for 2026/27
If you receive State Pension, GOV.UK says you can use the Manage your State Pension service before 11:59pm on 20 September 2026. You can also complete the official online opt-out form before the same deadline. You will need personal details including your National Insurance number, and the online service requires sign-in.
The phone route had a 6pm deadline on 18 September 2026 for this opt-out window. If that time has passed, use the online service or form if it is still available rather than assuming a phone request can be backdated.
After submitting, save the confirmation or a copy of the form. Keep your income estimate and the reason for the decision with your tax records. The opt-out is an administrative choice about receiving the benefit; it is not a tax return entry and does not itself change your taxable pension income.
What happens if you do not opt out?
If you remain eligible and do not opt out, you may receive the payment automatically. If your individual total income is over £35,000 and the charge applies, HMRC will recover an amount equal to the full payment through PAYE tax-code adjustments or Self Assessment. The payment is not gradually reduced as income rises: the published charge is the full value when the conditions apply.
HMRC's Agent Update also explains that future-year recovery can overlap with the recovery of the 2026/27 payment. This is why a higher-income pensioner may prefer to make the opt-out decision before payment rather than receive a payment that later creates a tax recovery entry. Check the official charge guidance for the exact collection route; no one should register for Self Assessment solely because of this charge when HMRC's rules do not require it.
Can you opt in again later?
Yes. GOV.UK says you do not need to opt out every year, but you will not receive future payments unless you contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre to opt in again. To receive a payment for winter 2026/27 after opting out, contact the centre before 31 March 2027, subject to the current service rules.
An opt-in is not a claim that the payment is tax-free. If your total income remains over £35,000, the charge can still apply. Recheck your own income, benefit exemptions and the payment amount for the relevant year before opting in.
Scotland is a separate scheme
People living in Scotland cannot receive the GOV.UK Winter Fuel Payment. They may instead qualify for Pension Age Winter Heating Payment under Scottish rules. Do not use the England, Wales and Northern Ireland 20 September deadline as a Scottish payment deadline; check the current Scottish service separately.
If the deadline has passed
Do not cancel or amend a Self Assessment return solely because you wanted to opt out. The opt-out is administered through the Winter Fuel Payment process, while the tax charge is administered through PAYE or Self Assessment when the charge applies. Contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre, explain that the deadline has passed and ask what action remains available for your case. Keep the payment letter, any attempted submission confirmation and the income information used for the decision.
If you receive the payment and later find that your individual total income is over £35,000, check HMRC’s recovery explanation. The charge is separate from the payment decision and may be collected through a tax-code change or Self Assessment. If you are exempt because you received a listed means-tested benefit during the relevant period, retain evidence of that benefit and check the official records rather than assuming the exemption has been applied.
Build the estimate before deciding
Use the individual’s total income, not household income. Include State Pension, occupational and personal pensions, employment or self-employment income, savings interest, dividends, property income and other amounts covered by the official calculation. Do not treat the £35,000 figure as a tax band or as a gradual taper: the published charge can recover the full payment when the conditions apply. The likely payment itself depends on age and household circumstances, so first identify the amount that would be paid.
Keep an estimate separate from a final tax calculation. A pension withdrawal, dividend payment or property profit can change the year-end position. If the result is close to the threshold, keep the assumptions and revisit them when the payment letter or tax statement arrives. A calculator on this site can illustrate arithmetic, but DWP and HMRC records control the official payment and recovery.
Keep every confirmation with the relevant winter paperwork.
Future-year decisions
An opt-out can continue into future years until you contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre to opt in again. That is useful for planning but should not be treated as a permanent waiver or as a decision that automatically applies to Scotland’s separate scheme. At the start of each winter, check the current amount, qualifying age, income-recovery rule, benefit exemptions and opt-out or opt-in dates. Rules, service links and deadlines can change between winters.
Keep the official confirmation with your benefit and tax records, especially if a partner has a separate payment or a different income position.
If you have not received a confirmation, do not assume that a form was accepted. Check the submission record or contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. Keep the date, channel, reference and the income assumptions used. These records help distinguish an unsuccessful opt-out from a later HMRC recovery question.
The payment amount, age category and benefit exemption should be checked separately from the deadline. A person can miss the opt-out window and still need to understand the later tax treatment; opting out does not remove other tax obligations or change State Pension entitlement. Use the current official service after checking the date and keep a copy of every response. Do not rely on an old winter’s opt-out link or deadline. Record the final contact route and reference number for future review.
Decide whether to opt out
- 1Confirm which winter payment scheme applies to your usual residence.
- 2Estimate your own total income for 2026/27, including pension, employment, savings, dividend and property income where relevant.
- 3Check the likely Winter Fuel Payment amount and whether a published means-tested benefit exemption applies.
- 4If you decide to opt out of the England, Wales or Northern Ireland payment, use the official GOV.UK service or form before the published deadline.
- 5Save the confirmation and retain the income estimate with your tax records.
- 6If you later want the payment, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre before the opt-in deadline and recheck the tax charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Winter Fuel Payment opt-out deadline for 2026?
Why would someone opt out of Winter Fuel Payment?
Does my partner’s income count toward £35,000?
Does opting out affect my State Pension?
Do I have to opt out every year?
Can I opt in again after opting out?
Does this opt-out guide apply in Scotland?
Can I opt out after the Winter Fuel Payment deadline?
Keep the opt-out decision traceable
Before opting out, save the payment notice, income information used for the decision, date of the request and any confirmation from DWP or HMRC. A household budget can show the cash-flow effect, but the recovery charge is based on the individual’s income and official records. Keep pension, employment, savings and benefit statements for the relevant year, and do not assume that a partner’s income changes the individual test.
If circumstances change, compare the payment status, opt-out record and tax position before contacting the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. Store the response and check later correspondence rather than relying on a phone conversation alone. If an incorrect payment or recovery charge appears, preserve the original notice and use the official correction or enquiry route; do not simply omit the amount from a tax return or benefit record.
For the full eligibility, payment and recovery rules, read the Winter Fuel Payment 2026/27 guide. The decision is based on your own income and the official payment rules, not on a generic household tax estimate.
Official sources
Related Guides
Simple Assessment UK 2026/27 — PA302 Letter and Payment Guide
Received a UK Simple Assessment letter? Check the PA302 calculation, understand who gets one, the 60-day correction window and when to pay.
Is This HMRC Text Genuine? UK Tax Scam Check 2026/27
How to check an HMRC tax refund or payment text, recognise genuine message limits, report suspicious SMS and protect your personal and bank details.
Winter Fuel Payment 2026/27 — Eligibility & Pension Credit
Winter Fuel Payment for 2026/27: the £100–£300 payment, the 21–27 September qualifying week, automatic-payment rules and the £35,000 income-tax charge.
Review notes and assumptions
Reviewed
2026-09-22
Assumptions
- This guide covers the England, Wales and Northern Ireland Winter Fuel Payment opt-out process for winter 2026/27; Scotland has a separate Pension Age Winter Heating Payment scheme.
- The £35,000 test is based on the individual's total income, not household income, and the full payment can be recovered through the tax system when the charge applies.
- The deadline and service instructions are time-sensitive and should be checked on GOV.UK before submitting an opt-out.