HMRC bungles 2026/27 PAYE codes for pensioners
For some pensioners, the 2025/26 winter fuel payment should be collected via their 2026/27 PAYE code. HMRC has started to issue PAYE codes for the new tax year, but the extra charge is missing. What's going on?
The winter fuel payment was paid to state pensioners automatically at the end of 2025, unless they opted out in time. The full payment is clawed back if an individual's income exceeds £35,000 gross per annum, and for those that aren't completing tax returns, it's supposed to be collected through their PAYE code. This means the winter fuel payment received in 2025/26 will be collected via the 2026/27 PAYE code. The adjustment will deduct around £17 per month to claw back the payment over the course of the tax year. Some PAYE tax codes have already been issued for 2026/27, but HMRC has confirmed these may not include the charge. No action is required because an updated PAYE code will be issued in April 2026 to rectify this.
It is possible to opt out of the winter fuel payment, but this will need to be done each year. From April 2026 it should be possible to opt out using an online form.
Related Topics
-
Give your children a cheap mortgage
Your son is struggling to get on the property ladder and current mortgage interest rates are making it harder. You’re over the inheritance tax (IHT) threshold but you’re reluctant to give him the money because you’ve heard horror stories about others losing half of it in a divorce. Is a family loan the solution for both of you?
-
Loan Charge settlement offers begin to land
HMRC has begun sending formal settlement offers to individuals and employers with outstanding Loan Charge liabilities, alongside detailed new guidance explaining how offers will be calculated and how long recipients have to respond. What’s the full story?
-
The hidden income tax benefit of marriage
You recently got married and a relative joked that you can save lots of money because of the tax breaks for married couples. As a newlywed are you entitled to a reduction in your income tax bill?
This website uses both its own and third-party cookies to analyze our services and navigation on our website in order to improve its contents (analytical purposes: measure visits and sources of web traffic). The legal basis is the consent of the user, except in the case of basic cookies, which are essential to navigate this website.