Cold Weather Payment
Automatic payments triggered when the average temperature in your area is recorded, or forecast, at 0°C or below for seven consecutive days.
- Worth
- £25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather between November and March
- Run by
- Department for Communities
- Status
- Open
Who qualifies
- You receive Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, or Universal Credit (with certain conditions such as a disability, a child under five, or not being in work)
What it covers
A cash payment per cold spell, paid automatically into the account your benefit goes into.
How to apply
You do not need to apply. If you think you should have had a payment and haven't, contact the office that pays your benefit.
Payments depend on the weather station covering your postcode, so neighbouring areas can get different numbers of payments in the same winter.
Source
Official page: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/cold-weather-payment
Last checked automatically on 7 September 2026 — page reachable ✓.
Not sure this is the right scheme?
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