A new winter cold snap has triggered Cold Weather Payments across 18 postcodes in the UK, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed.
Thousands of households will receive a £25 payment after temperatures in their area stayed at freezing or below for seven days in a row.
The Cold Weather Payment scheme runs until 31 March and gives eligible households £25 for every seven-day period where temperatures hit zero degrees or below.
Who can receive a Cold Weather Payment?
You may qualify if you receive one of the following benefits:
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Universal Credit
- Support for Mortgage Interest
Additional rules apply in some cases.
For example, people on Universal Credit normally qualify only if:
- they are not working or are “gainfully self-employed”, and
- someone in the household has a disability, health condition, or limited capability for work
People on Income Support or JSA may also qualify if they:
- receive a disability or pensioner premium
- have a disabled child
- have a child under 5
How to check if your postcode is included
Anyone can check whether their area is eligible using the official postcode tool at: coldweatherpayments.dwp.gov.uk
Payments so far have been triggered in parts of:
- Northumberland
- Cumbria
- Scottish Borders
Further areas may be added if freezing weather continues.
How and when payments are made
Payments are:
- made automatically
- paid directly into your bank or building society
- normally sent within 14 days of a qualifying cold period
You do not need to apply.
If you think you should have received a payment but haven’t, you can contact:
- the Pension Service (for Pension Credit claimants), or
- Jobcentre Plus (for other benefits)
Scotland uses a different scheme
Cold Weather Payments do not apply in Scotland.
They have been replaced by the Winter Heating Payment, which:
- is worth £59.75
- is paid automatically
- does not depend on local weather conditions
Cold weather alert issued
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has also issued an amber cold-health alert for England, warning that freezing conditions may:
- increase health risks for older people and vulnerable groups
- put extra pressure on health and care services
People aged 65+ and those with long-term health conditions are advised to:
- keep homes warm
- check heating eligibility schemes
- seek support if struggling with bills