£299 Cost Of Living Payment Set To Return In September 2025 – Key Dates And Eligibility Explained

If you’ve seen posts claiming a £299 Cost of Living Payment is returning in September 2025, here’s the bottom line: there is no new £299 payment scheduled for September 2025.

The UK government has explicitly said it is not planning any more Cost of Living Payments of this kind.

The last £299 instalment was paid during February 2024 as part of the 2023/24 support package, and that programme has ended.

Instead, from autumn 2025 there’s a different mix of support—notably Winter Fuel Payment (WFP), the Warm Home Discount (WHD), the Cold Weather Payment (CWP), the Household Support Fund (HSF) via local councils, and December’s Christmas Bonus for eligible benefit claimants.

Below you’ll find what’s real, who qualifies, and the exact dates that matter between September and December 2025.

Is the £299 Cost of Living Payment returning in September 2025?

No. The official GOV.UK Cost of Living Payment page was updated on 6 May 2025 to state “DWP are not planning to make any more Cost of Living Payments.”

That means no repeat £299 lump sum in September 2025.

Also, recent reporting has flagged misinformation circulating online about a revived £299 payment, with the government reiterating there are no plans to reinstate the scheme.

What was the last £299 payment?

The final £299 payment under the 2023/24 package was issued to eligible low-income households between 6 and 22 February 2024 (with separate HMRC windows for tax-credit-only claimants).

That programme is now closed.

What support is actually available in autumn/winter 2025?

Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) 2025/26

• What it is: A winter heating support payment of £100–£300 for those over State Pension age.
• Key September dates:
  • Claim by post opens: 15 September 2025 (for people who need to claim).
  • Qualifying week: 15–21 September 2025 (your circumstances in this week determine entitlement and amount).
• Payment timing: Typically November–December 2025; most people are paid automatically if eligible.

Warm Home Discount (WHD) 2025/26

• What it is: A £150 one-off credit to your electricity bill (not paid to you) for qualifying low-income households.
• Scheme window: Reopens October 2025 for the 2025/26 winter season.
• Eligibility snapshot: In England & Wales you’re identified automatically if you meet criteria on a set qualifying date. Energy-supplier guidance indicates 24 August 2025 is the qualifying date this year; you’ll receive a letter if you’re matched. (In Scotland, some households apply to their supplier.)

Cold Weather Payment (CWP) 2025/26

• What it is: £25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather (0°C or below), paid automatically to those on certain benefits.
• Season dates: 1 November 2025–31 March 2026.

Household Support Fund (HSF) 2025/26

• What it is: Local-council help (cash/vouchers/essentials) for households in hardship.
• Funding window: 1 April 2025–31 March 2026 in England (councils set their own eligibility and application process).

DWP Christmas Bonus

• What it is: A £10 tax-free bonus for people on certain benefits.
• When: Paid in the first full week of December (no claim needed if you qualify).

Key dates & eligibility at a glance (Sept–Dec 2025)

Support	Amount	Key 2025 Dates	Who Qualifies (headline)	How it’s paid / How to claim
Winter Fuel Payment (WFP)	£100–£300	Qualifying week: 15–21 Sept; Claim by post opens: 15 Sept; Phone claims: from 13 Oct; Paid: Nov–Dec	Born before 22 Sept 1959 and present in qualifying week; most paid automatically if eligible	Automatic for most; if needed, claim by post from 15 Sept or by phone from 13 Oct; deadline 31 Mar 2026.
Warm Home Discount (WHD)	£150 (bill credit)	Scheme reopens Oct	Low-income households meeting criteria on the scheme’s qualifying date (England & Wales auto-matched; some in Scotland apply)	Applied to electricity bill by your supplier; letters sent if eligible.
Cold Weather Payment (CWP)	£25 per 7-day cold spell	1 Nov–31 Mar 2026	People on qualifying benefits in areas with recorded/forecast cold spells	Automatic to the same account as your benefits.
Household Support Fund (HSF)	Local help (varies)	1 Apr 2025–31 Mar 2026	Residents in hardship; rules set by your local council	Apply via your local council while funds last.
Christmas Bonus	£10	Early Dec (first full week)	Those on specific benefits in the qualifying week	Automatic if eligible; no claim needed.

How this differs from the old £299 payment

The £299 figure you remember was the final instalment of the 2023/24 low-income Cost of Living Payments, delivered in February 2024.

That series is over and won’t be repeated this September.

If you believe you were eligible back then but didn’t receive it, the GOV.UK guidance explains how missing payments were handled for that round.

Beware of scams and misinformation

Texts, emails, or social posts promising a new £299 this month are a red flag.

The government has said there are no plans to restart these payments; treat any message asking for bank details or an “application” fee as suspicious.

Always cross-check on GOV.UK or with your council/energy supplier before acting.

Step-by-step: What to do in September 2025

• Check Winter Fuel Payment status.
  If you’re over State Pension age, most people are paid automatically. If you need to claim, you can post your claim from 15 September (and by phone from 13 October).
• Watch for Warm Home Discount letters in October.
  The scheme reopens in October 2025. If you meet the criteria on the qualifying date (energy-supplier guidance indicates 24 August 2025), you’ll typically be contacted automatically in England & Wales; in Scotland, some must apply to their supplier.
• Contact your council about the Household Support Fund.
  Many councils have online forms for essentials (food, energy, emergency help). The fund runs to 31 March 2026 but budgets are limited—apply early if you’re struggling.
• Know when Cold Weather Payments can trigger.
  From 1 November, eligible households get £25 automatically for each 7-day cold spell in their area. No application needed.
• Expect the Christmas Bonus in early December if you’re on qualifying benefits. It’s automatic and tax-free.

Detailed eligibility notes (quick guide)

• Winter Fuel Payment: You must have been born before 22 September 1959, and your circumstances in 15–21 September 2025 (the qualifying week) decide your amount. Most eligible people are paid automatically.
• Warm Home Discount (England & Wales): Eligibility is data-matched using a qualifying date and your benefit status (e.g., Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, or certain means-tested benefits combined with energy-usage criteria). The scheme reopens in October 2025; suppliers/letters confirm if you’ve been matched. In Scotland, some households must apply to their supplier.
• Cold Weather Payment: Paid automatically if you receive specified benefits and a cold spell is recorded/forecast in your area. Season runs 1 Nov–31 Mar.
• Household Support Fund: Criteria vary by council; awards can include cash, vouchers, or essentials for households in hardship. Open through 31 March 2026 in England.

There is no official £299 Cost of Living Payment coming in September 2025.

The last £299 was February 2024, and the government has no plans to re-issue this type of lump sum.

Instead, your real support this autumn/winter is a bundle of programmes with concrete dates:

Winter Fuel Payment claims from 15 September, the Warm Home Discount reopening in October, Cold Weather Payments from 1 November, council-run Household Support Fund through 31 March 2026, and the Christmas Bonus in early December.

Use the timeline and tips above to maximise what you can claim and steer clear of misinformation.

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