There’s been a lot of talk recently about the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirming a £562 payment for pensioners born before 1961 — and for many older people in the UK this sounds like much-needed support as costs continue to rise. However, the truth is a bit more complex than a simple £562 cash boost landing in your bank account. What has been seen in recent reporting is a mix of information about the full value of support that many older pensioners receive over the year, including increases to the State Pension and winter support payments — but not one official standalone £562 payment announced by the government at present.
That said, the idea behind this figure is rooted in two confirmed pieces of support that do benefit older pensioners — the state pension increase under the Triple Lock and the Winter Fuel Payment — and when considered together, the combined uplift many people receive across the year can be close to £562 or more.
In this article, we’ll walk you through what these payments really are, who is likely to benefit in the 1961 or earlier birth cohort, and when you should expect money in your account if you do qualify.
Why People Are Talking About “£562” Support
The phrase “£562 payment” doesn’t come from a single official DWP announcement of a new bonus payment, but instead reflects the approximate total annual increase many pensioners can expect when combining different payments and uprates. One of the most commonly referenced elements in reporting is the annual state pension increase, which in some forecasts and headline figures is said to amount to an extra £562 over a year thanks to the Triple Lock guarantee.
Under the Triple Lock — a government policy that increases the State Pension each year by whichever is highest of prices, earnings or 2.5% — the new state pension is set to rise in April 2026, which for many people means significantly more income over 12 months. The “£562” number reflects this annual uplift rather than a one-off cash draw.
Because there isn’t yet an official “£562 one-off payment” explicitly confirmed by the DWP for anyone based on year of birth, we cannot say that pensioners born before 1961 will automatically receive exactly £562 in a single payout. Instead, the figure represents a benchmark estimate that combines multiple confirmed supports.
State Pension Increase: What Pensioners Can Expect
One of the most important pieces of support for older people is the State Pension, which is reviewed and uprated each year. Thanks to the Triple Lock guarantee, the State Pension is expected to rise again in April 2026, following similar increases in recent years. This boost applies to both the new State Pension and the older basic pension for those who qualified before 2016.
For millions of pensioners, this means higher weekly income and, over the course of a year, several hundred pounds more — often quoted in press reports as around £562, depending on your exact pension amount and entitlement.
You do not need to apply separately for this increase — it is paid automatically into your usual pension account once the uprating takes effect. To check exactly how much you’ll receive, you can request a State Pension forecast via the official GOV.UK service.
Winter Fuel Payment: Automatic Support Each Winter
Another confirmed and valuable piece of income for older pensioners is the Winter Fuel Payment. This is a tax-free annual payment designed to help with heating costs during the coldest months, and it is paid automatically to eligible people.
For the 2025–26 winter, most pensioners born on or before September 22, 1959 — which includes those born before 1961 — will receive a Winter Fuel Payment of:
- Around £200 per household, or
- Around £300 per household if someone in the household is aged 80 or over.
Eligibility normally requires that you have reached State Pension age before the qualifying week in September and either receive the State Pension or another qualifying benefit. In many cases, if you already get your pension into a UK bank account, the Winter Fuel Payment is paid automatically between November and December. If you don’t receive the payment by the end of January, the DWP advises contacting the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.
Because the Winter Fuel Payment can be worth up to £300 and the State Pension uprate can add several hundred pounds across the year, many commentators combine these and similar supports to arrive at a “£562 total support” figure. But this total is made up of separate official elements, not a single new payment.
Who Is Eligible for These Supports
State Pension Increase
To benefit from the State Pension uprating, you simply need to have reached State Pension age and be receiving the pension at the time of the uprate in April 2026. State Pension age depends on your date of birth — for people born in 1961, this will generally be 67, but the exact date varies. You can check your personal State Pension age using the GOV.UK pension age tools.
Winter Fuel Payment
To qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment this winter:
- You must be of State Pension age before the qualifying week (third full week in September), which this year means you’d normally need to have been born before 22 September 1959.
- You must satisfy the residence conditions (typically living in the UK or a qualifying country in the qualifying week).
Note that eligibility criteria were tightened recently so that only pensioners with means-tested benefits like Pension Credit, Universal Credit, or similar may automatically receive the payment — although some households with incomes above certain thresholds may still see the payment recovered via the tax system later.
When Payments Are Made
State Pension Uprate
- The higher weekly State Pension amount applies from April 2026.
- If you are already receiving the pension, it will simply appear in your regular payments with the updated weekly figure — there’s no single lump sum.
Winter Fuel Payment
- The Winter Fuel Payment is typically paid automatically between November and December and should generally appear before the year’s end. If you haven’t received it by late January, you can contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre and check your details.
How to Make Sure You Receive Your Support
If you are a pensioner born before 1961 and want to be sure you receive all the support you’re entitled to:
- Check your bank details with DWP are up to date, as support payments are usually paid into the same account as your State Pension.
- Confirm your eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment if you had a recent change in residency or benefit status.
- Request a State Pension forecast to see what your weekly rate will be after the 2026 uprate.
Keeping your contact and benefit records up to date helps ensure payments are made smoothly. The DWP will never unexpectedly ask for sensitive details like your bank account by text or email — beware of scams targeting pensioners with fake updates about support payments.
Final Thoughts
There is no official government “£562 one-off payment” confirmed by the DWP specifically for people born before 1961 as a labelled bonus. But there are real, official pieces of support that combined can benefit older pensioners significantly — including the State Pension uprate in April 2026 and the Winter Fuel Payment this winter. For many people in this age group, the combined value of these supports can feel like a meaningful financial boost and is often cited in media summaries.