THOUSANDS of low income households are set to receive £25 in free cash through cold weather payments.
The Department for Work and Pensions hands out the payments when temperatures hit a continuous average of below zero.
But only if it’s between November 1 and March 31 and over a seven-day period.
The payments are made to families on low incomes struggling to pay their energy bills.
They should receive the money direct into their bank accounts within 14 days.
It comes after a cold snap hit the UK with the Met Office issuing warnings of snow and ice.
Manchester Airport took the decision today (December 10) to close both runways due to heavy snowfall.
The DWP has already confirmed over 300 postcodes where cold weather payments were triggered between Monday and Thursday.
If you live in one of these postcodes, you should keep an eye out for a specific code which will tell you it’s the cold weather payment.
Payments will appear in bank statements as your National Insurance number followed by “DWP CWP” for people in England and Wales.
If you live in Northern Ireland it will appear as “SSA CWP”.
Your National Insurance number is made up of two letters, then six numbers, then a letter.
So an example of what a payment might look like if you live in England or Wales would be QQ123456C DWP CWP.
What’s the full list of postcodes qualifying for the cold winter payments?
Here’s the full list of postcodes that have qualified for a £25 payment over the 2022-23 winter period so far.
- Albemarie – DH1-7, DH9, DL4-5, DL14-17, NE1-13, NE15-18, NE20-21, NE23, NE25-46, SR1-7, TS21, TS28-29
- Almondsbury – BS1-11, BS13-16, BS20-24, BS29-32, BS34-37, BS39-41, BS48-49, GL11-13, NP16, NP26
- Andrewsfield – CB1-5, CB10-11, CB21-25, CM1-9, CM11-24, CM77, CO9, RM4, SG8-11
- Bainbridge – BD23-24, DL8, DL11-13
- Benson – HP5-23, HP27, OX9,OX10,OX33, OX39,OX44, OX49, RG9, SL7-9
- Bingley – BB4, BB8-12, BB18, BD1-22, HD3, HD7-9, HX1-7, LS21, LS29, OL13-14, S36
- Boscombe Down -BA12, RG28, SO20-23,SP1-5, SP7, SP9-11
- Bramham – HG1 – 5, LS1-20, LS22-28, YO1, YO8, YO10, YO19, YO23-24, YO26, YO30-32, YO41-43, YO51, YO60-61
- Brize Norton – OX1-6, OX8, OX11-14, OX18, OX20, OX25-29, SN7
- Carlise – CA1-8, DG12, DG16
- Charlwood – BN5-6, BN44, GU5-6, ME6, ME14-20, RH1-20, TN1-20, TN22, TN27
- Coleshill – B1-21, B23-38, B40, B42-50, B60-80, B90-98, CV1-12, CV21-23, CV31-35, CV3 CV47, DY1-14, LE10, WS1-15, WV1-16
- Exeter Airport – EX1-12, EX24, TQ1-6, TQ9, TQ12, TQ14
- Fylingdales – YO13, YO18, YO21-22, YO62
- Hawarden Airport – CH1-8, LL11-14, SY14
- Hereford – GL1-6, GL10, GL14-20, GL50-53, HR1-9, NP7-8, NP15, NP25, SY8, WR1-11, WR13-15
- Hurn – BH1-25, BH31, DT1-2, DT11, SP6
- Keele – CW1-3, CW5, CW 12, ST1-8, ST11-12, ST14-21
- Lake Vrnwy – LL20-21, LL23, SY10, SY15-17, SY19, SY21-22
- Leek Thorncliffe – DE4, DE45, S32-33, SK13, SK17, SK22-23, ST9-10, ST13
- Leeming – DL1-DL3, DL6,DL7, DL9, DL10, TS9, S16 YO7
- Libanus – NP4, NP11-13, NP22-24, NP44, SA9
- Little Rissington – CV36, GL54-56, OX7, OX15-17, WR12
- Llysdinam – LD1-2, LD4-8, SA19-20, SY7, SY9, SY18
- Marham – CB6-7, IP24-28, PE12-14, PE30-38
- Nottingham – CV13, DE1-3, DE5-7, DE11-15, DE21-24, DE55-56, DE65, DE72-75, LE1-9, LE11-14, LE16-19, LE65, LE67, NG1-22, NG25, NG31-34
- Odiham – GU1-4, GU7-35, GU46-47, GU51-52, RG1-2, RG4-8, RG10, RG12, RG14, RG18-27, RG29-31, RG40-42, RG45, SL1-2, SL4-6, SO24
- Pembury Sands – SA1-8, SA14-18, SA31-34, SA61-63, SA66-73
- Redesdale – CA9, DH8, NE19, NE47-49
- Rochdale – L0-9, M24, M26, OL1-12, OL15-16,SK15
- Rostherne – CW4, CW6-11, M1-9, M11-23, M25, M27-35, M38, M40-41, M43-46, M50, M90, PR7, SK1-12, SK14, SK16, WA1-16, WN1-8
- Rothamsted – AL1-10, EN6, HP1-4, LU1-7, SG1-4, SG12-14, WD3-7, WD17-19, WD23-25
- Shap – CA10-12, CA16-17, LA8-10, LA21-23
- Shawbury – SY1-6, SY11-13, TF1-13
- Stonyhurst – BB1-3, BB5-7, LA2, LA6-7, PR6
- Stowe – NN1-7 NN11-13, MK18
- Tibenham – NR1-35
- Trawsgoed – LL35-40, SY20, SY23-25
- Walney Island – LA1, LA3-5, LA11-20
- Wattisham – CB8-9, CO1-8, CO10-16, IP1-23, IP29-33
- Westonbirt – BA1-3, BA11, BA13-15, GL7-9, RG17, SN1-6, SN8-16, SN25-26
- Wittering – LE15, NN14-18, PE1-9, PE15-17, PE26-29
- Woburn – MK1-17, MK19, MK40-46, NN8-10, NN29, PE19, SG5-7, SG15-19
- Yeovilton – BA4-10, BA16, BA20-22, BS25-28, DT9-10, SP8, TA1-20, TA23
You can check if your area has had a cold weather payment by popping your postcode into the government’s tool.
Who is eligible for cold weather payments?
Cold weather payments are designed to help low incomes families or those on benefits.
The help will come as extra relief to households struggling after the energy price guarantee saw prices rise for millions.
You’ll be eligible for the payments if you’re receiving:
- 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.
Crucially, getting the cold weather payment doesn’t impact what other benefits you receive.
You should receive the £25 into the same bank account your benefit is paid into.
If you don’t, you can contact the Jobcentre Plus office or Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.
You can also add a note to your Universal Credit journal saying you’ve not received the payment.
