UK expats abroad can still claim a Winter Fuel Payment if they live in one of these countries

• Thousands of UK pensioners abroad can still receive the Winter Fuel Payment

• It applies only to those living in the EEA or Switzerland who moved before December 31, 2020

• They must have a ‘genuine and sufficient link’ to the UK, such as paying NI or holding a UK bank account

• Payments are worth £100–£300, and help cover heating costs during winter months

• Around 34,000 expat pensioners currently receive the benefit each year

The Winter Fuel Payment is a welcome annual boost for many older British people to help cover the costs of heating bills during the colder months.

But what many people may not realise is that those who have moved abroad might still be able to claim it - as long as they meet strict post-Brexit rules.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is currently sending out letters to all eligible pensioner households across October and November.

Most will automatically receive the tax-free payment — worth between £100 and £300 — into their bank accounts in November or December, with all payments expected by the end of January.

And while the vast majority of recipients live in the UK, thousands of British pensioners overseas still receive the Winter Fuel Payment each year, as long as they live in a qualifying country and have maintained a “genuine and sufficient link” to the UK.

How the Winter Fuel Payment works

The Winter Fuel Payment is designed to help older people cover the cost of heating during the coldest months.

For winter 2025/26, you’ll qualify if you were born on or before September 22, 1959, meaning you’ve reached State Pension age (currently 66).

Payments are made automatically to those receiving the State Pension or certain benefits, though people who believe they’re eligible but haven’t been paid can contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160.

The payment is tax-free, though new rules mean that households with an income of £35,000 or more may need to repay it through the HMRC tax system.

Who can still get it abroad?

If you’re a UK pensioner now living overseas, you could still receive the Winter Fuel Payment, but only under some very narrow conditions:

• You live in a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland

• You moved there before December 31, 2020, meaning you’re covered by the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement

• You were born on or before September 22, 1959

• You have a “genuine and sufficient link” to the UK, such as previously living or working here, paying National Insurance, keeping a UK bank account, or having close family still based in Britain

• You receive a UK State Pension or an equivalent means-tested benefit (such as Pension Credit or Universal Credit) during the qualifying week, which this year fell between September 15–21

The DWP uses these criteria to decide whether someone living abroad can continue to receive the payment, criteria that are so restrictive, the official GOV.UK page for eligibility still states that you must “live in England or Wales.”

In 2023/24, around 34,300 overseas pensioners received the payment out of 11.6 million total recipients, meaning only about 0.3% of all payments went to those living in Europe or Switzerland.

Since it’s not a broad “you can live abroad and still get it” but a specific narrow path for certain pensioners, to include this information on GOV.UK could cause confusion.

Full list of countries where you can still receive the Winter Fuel Payment

If you do happen to meet all of the above criteria, you will be able to continue receiving Winter Fuel Payment if you live within the EEA or Switzerland.

Remember that since Brexit, you must have moved to one of these countries before the end of 2020 to remain eligible.

Here’s the full list of countries where UK pensioners can still claim:

• Austria

• Belgium

• Bulgaria

• Croatia

• Czech Republic

• Denmark

• Estonia

• Finland

• Germany

• Hungary

• Iceland

• Ireland

• Italy

• Latvia

• Liechtenstein

• Lithuania

• Luxembourg

• Netherlands

• Norway

• Poland

• Romania

• Slovakia

• Slovenia

• Sweden

• Switzerland

Countries where you can’t claim

Not every European retiree will qualify, and in 2025, the Government decided that the Winter Fuel Payment would no longer be available to people living in countries where the average winter temperature is warmer than the South West of England.

That means pensioners who’ve retired to the following countries cannot get the payment, even if they meet all other criteria:

• Cyprus

• France

• Gibraltar

• Greece

• Malta

• Portugal

• Spain

Likewise, pensioners who have moved outside Europe entirely are not eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment.