Stormont minister Gordon Lyons confirms winter fuel payments will be restored to Northern Ireland

DUP communities minister Gordon Lyons confirmed this following the Labour government’s u-turn on eligibility restrictions yesterday.

In a statement, the Department for Communities said “the necessary legislation would be in place by the end of July”.

Pensioners on an income of £35,000 or under will be entitled to the payment of £200 – rising to £300 for the over 80s.

A payment will be made to all pensioners automatically. Those not eligible have the option to opt out of it, or else the payment will later be recovered by HMRC.

Minister Lyons said: “I know that many of our pensioners are still anxious and worried about what yesterday’s statement means for them. Therefore, I have acted quickly, to provide clarity and certainty about what will happen to the Winter Fuel Payment in Northern Ireland.

“Since yesterday’s announcement my officials have been engaging with officials in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to understand the impact for Northern Ireland. I also met with Torsten Bell MP, Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury) and Parliamentary Under-Secretary (DWP) along with the Finance Minister John O’Dowd.

“Today I have engaged with Executive ministers on the re-instatement of the Winter Fuel Payment in Northern Ireland.

“My officials are continuing to work with DWP and HMRC officials to determine the number of NI pensioners impacted by this announcement, particularly the number of pensioners who exceed the £35,000 threshold.”

Last July, the Labour government restricted eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments to pensioner households receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits.

Executive funding of £17m last October ensured a one-off payment of £100 was made for winter 2024/25 to pensioners affected by the changes.

Almost 250,000 payments were issued, covering most Northern Ireland pensioners, by the end of March 2025, said the department.