THOUSANDS of families could get a cash boost as cold weather payments are triggered by freezing temperatures.
It means low-income households could get an extra £25 to go towards their energy bills.
Yellow weather warnings are in place for much of the UK – and forecasters believe things will only get colder, with the mercury set to plunge to an icy -10C within days.
And temperatures could only get colder in the months to come.
But some households on certain benefits will want to keep an eye on their thermostats in case they become eligible for a cold weather payment.
Here’s what you need to know:
What is the cold weather payment?
Families are entitled to an extra £25 to help heat their home when the temperature in their area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees or below for seven consecutive days on average.
As the weather needs to be freezing for seven consecutive days, you won’t be entitled to the extra money if it was zero degrees or below on just one day.
So just because it was below zero where you live over the weekend, it doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get the payment.
It could be worth keeping an eye on your local weather though to make sure you don’t miss out if it is cold enough for the required period.
You can check if your area has had a cold weather payment by popping your postcode into the government’s tool.
Here’s the full list of postcodes that have qualified for a £25 payment over the 2022-23 winter period so far.
If you’re eligible, you should receive payments within 14 working days.
The scheme continues until March 31, 2023 though, so there is still ample time for temperatures to drop further and more postcodes be eligible to claim.
Who is eligible for cold weather payments?
Households are eligible for the extra cash if they are getting the following:
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- Income Support
- income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- income-related employment and support allowance
- Support for mortgage interest
Depending on your specific circumstances, you may also need to meet one or more of the following additional criteria:
- Have a disability or be in receipt of pension premium
- Have a child who is disabled
- Be in receipt of child tax credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
- Have a severe or enhanced disability premium
- Be in receipt of a limited capability for work amount
- Have a child under five living with you
You can find out more about eligibility on the government’s website.
Getting the cold weather payment doesn’t affect any other benefits you get.
If you’re eligible, you should get the payments automatically within 14 days, into the same account where you get your benefit payments.
But if you think you should get the payment and haven’t, then contact your pension centre or Jobcentre Plus office, or call the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.
You can find out more about eligibility on the government’s website.
Getting the cold weather payment doesn’t affect any other benefits you get.
If you’re eligible, you should get the payments automatically within 14 days, into the same account where you get your benefit payments.
But if you think you should get the payment and haven’t, then contact your pension centre or Jobcentre Plus office, or call the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.
If you’re getting Universal Credit, you can also sign in to your account and add a note to your journal.
How do you apply for the cold weather payment?
The cold weather payment is paid automatically, so you don’t need to apply for it.
If you don’t receive a payment and believe you’re eligible then you can tell your pension centre or Jobcentre Plus office, or call the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.
If you’re getting Universal Credit, you can also sign in to your account and add a note to your journal.
If you go into hospital, this could affect your claim so make sure you tell someone using the contact details above.
