Stratford-upon-Avon
13 The Courtyard
Timothy's Bridge Road
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Warwickshire CV37 9NP
Pensioners who do not want to receive the Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2026–27 have until September to opt out. The payment will be recovered through the tax system from those whose total income exceeds £35,000.
In England and Wales, pensioners who receive a State Pension can opt out through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Manage your State Pension service by 11:59pm on 20 September 2026. The same deadline applies to those using DWP's online opt-out form. Those opting out by telephone must do so by 6pm on 18 September.
Opting out will not affect entitlement to the State Pension. It also applies to future years, so a person does not need to opt out again unless they subsequently choose to receive the payment. They can opt back in to receive the payment for winter 2026–27 by contacting the Winter Fuel Payment Centre before 31 March 2027.
For taxpayers with income above £35,000, HMRC will recover the payment through the tax system. This may be done through self-assessment or by an adjustment to the taxpayer's PAYE tax code. HMRC provides an online tool to help people check whether and how the payment will be recovered.
In Scotland, the equivalent Pension Age Winter Heating Payment is administered by Social Security Scotland. Pensioners wishing to opt out must complete the online opt-out form by midday on 19 October 2026. It is also possible to opt out by contacting Social Security Scotland by telephone, the same opt-out deadline, midday on 19 October 2026 applies.
Grenfell James Technology Adoption Index
How does your business perform against others adopting financial tech? Find out with our interactive diagnostic:
1.
How does your business receive invoices?
A)
Invoices are mainly received in paper form
B)
Invoices are mainly received by email
C)
Invoices are emailed then automatically forwarded to a designated mailbox
2.
How are purchase invoices processed?
A)
Invoices are entered manually
B)
Invoices are attached to manually raised invoices
C)
Automated software (e.g. ReceiptBank, 1Tap, HubDoc etc) collates invoices
3.
How are accounts processed?
A)
Using Excel/paper-based
B)
Using Computer-based, offline software
C)
Using cloud-based accountancy software
4.
How often is business data revised?
A)
Data is updated annually
B)
Data is updated quarterly
C)
Data is updated monthly or more often
5.
How is banking updated for your business?
A)
Banking is updated manually
B)
Banking is updated by imports
C)
Banking is updated via a live feed
6.
How are bank payments made?
A)
Bank payments are manual
B)
Bank payments are made using bulk imports
C)
Bank payments are made directly via accounting software
7.
How are bank receipts reconciled?
A)
Receipts are chased and reconciled manually
B)
Receipts are chased and reconciled automatically
C)
A third-party platform is used to chase debts and collect fees
8.
How often are management reports produced?
A)
No reports are provided
B)
Reports are provided but often too late to be valuable
C)
Reports are automated with real-time information
Score 8-12:
Curious Exploration
Your financial technology phase is Curious Exploration
% of respondent businesses are in this phase too.
Switching accountancy systems may seem like an upheaval, but can be much more straightforward than most businesses imagine. From talking to our clients, they have found moving from paper invoicing and desktop-based accounting software to the cloud and apps quickly makes the transition process a worthwhile investment of time. Digital accounting solutions bring in streamlined processes, up-to-date business data and greater confidence in the accuracy of information when making financial decisions.
Grenfell James works with your team to fully assess the needs of your business and minimise the impact of any transitions for solutions we recommend.
Score 13-19:
Measured Discovery
Your financial technology phase is Measured Discovery
% of respondent businesses are in this phase too.
Once cloud accountancy software is in place, there’s still plenty of scope to improve your accountancy processes and make sure your business is maximising the benefits of adopting a digital accounting solution. Grenfell James assesses each business to understand how any implemented solutions are being used, identify areas for improvement and the needs of the business overall to support your business goals and achieve success.
Our team of experts can discuss a range of time-saving automation and get different apps and cloud-based solutions talking to create and manage a digital accountancy eco-system to help your business grow.
Score 20-24:
Bold Innovation
Your financial technology phase is Bold Innovation
% of respondent businesses are in this phase too.
You know the benefits of accounting technology and the impact it can have on your business goals. If you want to take it a step further, our team can conduct a systematic review of your processes, apps and business goals to ensure your digital accountancy ecosystem is keeping pace with the changing needs of a growing business.