The has clarified the regulations surrounding the for pensioners who are cohabiting as a couple. Nine million pensioners across England and Wales are set to receive the Winter Fuel Payment from the this winter, following a government reversal announced on June 11.

This amendment ensures that eligible pensioners - those earning £35,000 or less - will receive either £200 or £300 this winter. This follows last year's reduction in payments when they were means-tested for the first time, with only those on specific benefits receiving the payment. This effectively lowered the income threshold to a mere £11,600.

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Under the revised rules, all pensioners earning under £35,000 annually will automatically receive the payment this year, reports .

Pensioners earning above this threshold will also receive the payment, but it will subsequently be reclaimed through tax. This implies that if someone earns over £35,000, their portion of the household payment will be recouped via the PAYE or self-assessment tax system.

Payments will be made per household, meaning a household with more than one pensioner will only receive one payment of up to £300. Therefore, for instance, two pensioners over the age of 80 residing in the same house will each receive £150.

Each individual's income is the deciding factor rather than collective household earnings. Hence, if one partner in a pensioner couple exceeds the income threshold, their segment of the payment will be recouped through the tax system; however, the other half will retain theirs, provided their personal income remains under the threshold.

Financial expert has acknowledged this as a "good system compared to what we thought was going to happen", having been initially under the impression that the cut-off would depend on the higher earner's income.

Generally, pensioner couples might split their payments, yet there exists an exception as noted by MoneySavingExpert.

They specify: "If you're a couple claiming Pension Credit, there's no split. You'll get £200 or £300 (if one of you is 80+) in one lump sum.

"And the clawback will not affect you, as if you earned enough for the clawback to apply, you wouldn't be eligible for Pension Credit in the first place."