In this week’s Enews, we look at a scam warning to pensioners who need to repay their Winter Fuel Payments. There is also a plea on skills planning for Gen Z and HMRC’s latest guidance for employers to update you on.

• Pensioners urged to be alert to Winter Fuel Payment scams
• Skills planning ‘vital’ to better engage Gen Z in workplace
• Latest guidance for employers

HMRC is warning pensioners to be on high alert for scams as the recovery of Winter Fuel Payments begins this month.

Almost two million people are expected to repay their winter 2025 payment due to their annual income being more than £35,000.

HMRC saw more than 25,000 Winter Fuel Payment scam referrals over the last 12 months. It is warning that scammers may now use the recovery process to target this group.

For most, the payment will be recovered through a change to their PAYE tax code from April 2026 with no need to contact HMRC.

For those in self assessment who file online, the payment should be pre-populated in their 2025/26 tax return. Customers should check and add it manually if it is not shown. Paper filers will need to add it on their tax return.

This applies across the UK – including in Scotland, where the payment is known as the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment and in Northern Ireland, where payments were made by the Department for Work and Pensions on behalf of the Northern Ireland Executive. In all cases, recovery is handled by HMRC.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer, said:

‘Criminals are great pretenders and often use fake letters, emails, calls and texts to impersonate HMRC and trick people into giving them money.

‘I’d encourage anyone who’s unsure to use our online tool at GOV.UK to check whether and how their payment will be recovered – there’s no need to call us.’

Internet link: HMRC press release

Skills planning is ‘vital’ to better engaging Generation Z with the workplace, says the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

The report analysed Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) and found that they have engaged thousands of people and employers in the training and education that firms require.

However, the business group also found that the ‘fragmented’ nature of funding and a limited scope to target young people has led to a range of opportunities being missed.

A number of prospects have been identified to unlock potential, the BCC said.

These include a lack of influence in education for under-16s, opportunities to replicate the system for business support and more effective engagement with young people.

Kate Shoesmith, Director of Policy at the BCC, said:

‘LSIPs have been really successful – involving thousands of businesses, training providers and learners over the past four years, to deliver great employment outcomes.

‘But with almost one million Gen Zs not in employment, education or training, earlier intervention is essential to connect young people to the world of work.

‘The longer they are allowed to drift away from employment the harder it becomes. By linking the government’s Youth Guarantee scheme to ERBs who have strategic oversight of their local economies, a pathway into work can be created.

‘The tools required to do this already exist through LSIPs. It is just a matter of giving them the long-term funding and authority to make it happen.’

Internet link: BCC website

HMRC has published the latest issue of the Employer Bulletin. The April issue has information on various topics, including:

• Reminder of key dates and processes for reporting benefits in kind (BiKs).
• Real Time Information submission problems — Incorrect handling of Payroll ID.
• Removal of the tax relief for non-reimbursed homeworking expenses.
• The official rate of interest from 6 April 2026.
• The ‘Tell ABAB’ survey 2026.
• Statutory Sick Pay changes — what employers need to know.

Internet link: GOV.UK