News Beat
DWP cold weather payment explained – who is eligible and how to get them?
The UK has been hit with freezing temperatures this week, with snow showers in parts of the country.
An amber weather warning has been issued for Thursday, with some UK regions expected to say as much as 25cm of snowfall.
Some people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are entitled to payments when the temperature drops below zero for consecutive days.
Hereâs all you need to know about the Cold Weather Payments â and whether youâre eligible.
What are Cold Weather Payments?
Who is eligible for Cold Weather Payments?
Individuals who claim the following benefits may be eligible for Cold Weather Payments:
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseekerâs Allowance (JSA)
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit
- Support for Mortgage Interest
Hospital stays can impact your eligibility, so individuals are advised to inform the Pension Service or Jobcentre Plus if they become an inpatient.
People are also advised to tell the relevant service if they have a baby or a child under five lives in the household.
What constitutes âcold weatherâ?
Payments are given to eligible households when the temperature is recorded or forecasted to be zero degrees celsius or below for seven consecutive days.
Eligible recipients get ÂŁ25 for each seven day period of cold weather from the start of November to the end of March.
The payment is directly deposited into the same bank or building society account as recipientsâ benefit payments, within 14 working days following each period of cold weather.
People who suspect that they should be receiving a payment but havenât are advised to get in touch with the Pension Service or Jobcentre Plus.
In Scotland, the winter heating payment is worth ÂŁ59.75.
