Focus on Disability - For Disabled People, the Elderly and their Carers in the UK

Cold Weather Payment

Focus on Disability - For Disabled People, the Elderly and their Carers in the UK

A Guide to Cold Weather Payments providing those on low income with help towards heating costs during periods of very cold weather.

see also: Winter Fuel Payment and Warm Home Discount Scheme

Introduction

You may get a Cold Weather Payment if you’re getting certain benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest.

You’ll get a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below for 7 consecutive days.

You’ll get £25 for each 7 day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March.

The Cold Weather Payment scheme runs from November to March. Check if you can get a payment in your area.

Cold Weather Payments are different to Winter Fuel Payments

Updated April 2023



Who is eligible?

You may get Cold Weather Payments if you’re getting:

  • Pension Credit
  • Income Support
  • income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Universal Credit
  • Support for Mortgage Interest

If you live in Scotland, you cannot get Cold Weather Payments. You might get an annual Winter Heating Payment instead.

Pension Credit

You’ll usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get Pension Credit.

Income Support and income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

You’ll usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get Income Support or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and have any of the following:

  • a disability or pensioner premium
  • a child who is disabled
  • Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
  • a child under 5 living with you

You’ll usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get income-related ESA and are in a work-related activity group or support group. If you’re not in either group, you might also get Cold Weather Payments if you have any of the following:

  • a severe or enhanced disability premium
  • a pensioner premium
  • a child who is disabled
  • Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
  • a child under 5 living with you

Universal Credit

You’ll usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get Universal Credit and you’re not employed or self-employed. One of the following must also apply:

  • a severe or enhanced disability premium
  • a pensioner premium
  • you have a child who is disabled
  • you get Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
  • you have a child under 5 living with you

You’ll also be eligible if you have a disabled child amount in your claim, whether you’re employed or not.

Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI)

You’ll usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI).

How much do you get?

You’ll get £25 for each 7 day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March.

After each period of very cold weather in your area, you should get a payment within 14 working days. It’s paid into the same bank or building society account as your benefit payments.

Effect on other benefits

Cold Weather Payments will not affect other benefits you may be getting.

How to apply

You do not need to apply. If you’re eligible to get a Cold Weather Payment, you’ll be paid it automatically.

Check if you can get a payment in your area.

If you have a baby or a child under 5 comes to live with you

Tell Jobcentre Plus if you get Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance and:

  • you’ve had a baby
  • a child under 5 has come to live with you

You will not automatically get Cold Weather Payments if you do not.

Hospital stays

Tell the Pension Service or Jobcentre Plus if you go into hospital – this could affect your payment.

If you’re getting Universal Credit, sign in to your account and add a note to your journal.

If you do not have an online account, ring the Universal Credit helpline instead. The phone number is on letters about your Universal Credit.

Who to contact at The Pension Service

The Pension Service provides a wide range of information about the State Pension, Pension Credit, Winter Fuel Payment and related benefits. See below to find your Pension Centre.



Your pension centre

In England, Scotland and Wales, your pension centre can answer frequently asked questions about:

  • making State Pension claims
  • making Pension Credit claims
  • existing State Pension or Pension Credit claims Find your pension centre

If you live in Northern Ireland:
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/cold-weather-payment



Updated April 2023

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