With temperatures falling as low as minus 5C overnight amid forecasts of snow and freezing rain, households could be set to receive a financial boost from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).
Cold Weather Payments are distributed to eligible households when the weather drops below a certain level for an extended period of time.
The scheme runs until March, and people in receipt of certain means-tested DWP benefits qualify for the support.
The payments, worth £25, are paid per seven days if the average temperature in a person’s area falls to zero degrees or below.
Households can check if a payment is due in their area using the DWP’s Cold Weather Payment postcode checker.
The payments are paid automatically, which means people do not need to claim them.
Who is eligible for Cold Weather Payments?
A person must be receiving one of the following benefits:
There are certain requirements with each benefit that entitle a person to receive payment, such as also having a disability or pensioner premium, or if they’re living with a child under five.
To find out the full list of requirements for each benefit, people can visit the Government webpage.
The money will appear in bank statements within 14 days of each seven days of very cold weather between November 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025.
The payment reference will start with the customer’s National Insurance number followed by ‘DWP CWP’ for people in England and Wales.
