What is a cold weather payment and how can I get one?
The UK’s freezing temperatures means cold weather payments have been made available to 51 UK postcode regions by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
A seven-day stretch of below-freezing weather in these areas, beginning on January 4 and extending through to Saturday, January 11, prompted the most recent payouts.
So what are the payments, and who is eligible?
Here, the PA news agency answers key questions about them.
What is a cold weather payment?
Cold weather payments are made to vulnerable people, including pensioners, in England and Wales to help them pay for heating when the temperature dips below freezing.
Cold weather payments go to those living in an area where the average temperature is recorded as, or forecast to be, 0°C or below for seven consecutive days.
What areas have been triggered?
- BB4 Rawtenstall, Lancashire
- BB8 Newchurch, Lancashire
- BB9 Newchurch, Lancashire
- BB10 Burnley, Lancashire
- BB11 Burnley, Lancashire
- BB12 Ightenhill, Lancashire
- BB18 Salterforth, Lancashire
- BD1 Bradford city centre
- BD2 Eccleshill, Bradford
- BD3 Barkerend, Bradford
- BD4 Bierley, Bradford
- BD5 Bankfoot, Bradford
- BD6 Buttershaw, Bradford
- BD7 Great Horton, Bradford
- BD8 Manningham, Bradford
- BD9 Frizinghall, Bradford
- BD10 Apperley Bridge, Bradford
- BD11 Adwalton, Bradford
- BD12 Low Moor, Bradford
- BD13 Queensbury, Bradford
- BD14 Clayton, Bradford
- BD15 Allerton, Bradford
- BD16 Bingley
- BD17 Shipley
- BD18 Saltaire, Shipley
- BD19 Cleckheaton
- BD20 Keighley
- BD21 Hainworth, Keighley
- BD22 Cowling, Keighley
- HD3 Huddersfield, Kirklees
- HD7 Huddersfield, Kirklees
- HD8 Kirkburton, Kirklees
- HD9 Holme, Kirklees
- HX1 Halifax, Calderdale
- HX2 Halifax, Calderdale
- HX3 Halifax, Calderdale
- HX4 Halifax, Calderdale
- HX5 Halifax, Calderdale
- HX6 Halifax, Calderdale
- HX7 Hebden Royd, Calderdale
- LS21 Otley, Leeds
- LS29 Ilkley, Bradford
- OL13 Rawtenstall, Lancashire
- OL14 Todmorden, Calderdale
- S36 Hunshelf, Barnsley
- BD23 Thorlby, North Yorkshire
- BD24 Langcliffe, North Yorkshire
- DL8 Spennithorne, North Yorkshire
- DL11 Marske, North Yorkshire
- DL12 Cotherstone, County Durham
- DL13 Stanhope, County Durham
Qualifying households in these locations will get a £25 payment to help with the additional expense of heating their homes.
How can I check if my area is eligible?
Those eligible for cold weather payments need to be living in a place where the average temperature or forecast is 0°C or below over seven consecutive days.
You may get cold weather payments if you’re receiving:
- pension credit
- income support
- income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- income-related employment and support allowance
- universal credit
- support for mortgage interest
People get £25 for each seven-day period of very cold weather between November 1 and March 31 each year.
How can you get a cold weather payment?
Those eligible do not need to apply; it will be paid automatically.
The bank top-up will be in eligible people’s bank accounts within 14 days of the trigger.
Does this affect my benefits?
Cold weather payments do not affect other benefits.
What if I am in hospital?
Those in hospital should tell the Pension Service or Jobcentre Plus as this could affect their payment.
What if I live in Scotland?
Scots cannot get the payment.
In Scotland, people on benefits or low incomes may qualify for an annual £50 winter heating payment, though this is made irrespective of cold temperatures.
What if I do not receive my payment?
People are advised to tell the Pension Service or Jobcentre Plus.
Those getting universal credit should sign in to their account and add a note to the journal.
How do I challenge a cold weather payment decision?
According to charity Turn2us, the DWP’s decision on a person’s payment claim can be challenged.
If the decision stands, people can appeal to an independent tribunal.
The time limits are strict, with a one-month window to dispute a decision.
What other payments can I get?
People born before September 26, 1956 who are eligible could get between £250 and £600 to help pay their heating bills.
There is also the warm home discount scheme, in which people get £150 off their electricity bill over the winter.
A spokesman said: “These additional payments provide support every year to help people experiencing the coldest weather.
“Cold weather payments can be triggered right through to the end of March, giving people facing disproportionately cold weather that extra reassurance over the chillier months.”
