A chilling rise in winter fuel payment scams has gripped the UK, with reports surging by 153% in the final week of September 2025. Fraudsters are targeting pensioners with deceptive text messages, exploiting fears over heating costs amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
The spike in fraud alerts among older people highlights how criminals are taking advantage of confusion surrounding automatic winter fuel payments, which are due to reach bank accounts between mid-November and December 2025. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued urgent warnings, urging recipients to stay vigilant.
