Who can get a cold weather payment as snow and ice hits UK
Britons are facing a cold snap set to last until the end of the week, as parts of south-east England were blanketed by snow on Monday, including Kent where temperatures plunged to below freezing.
An amber cold health alert for the North West of England, the Midlands, the South West of England and the South East of England is in place until noon on Friday.
Following Mondayâs flurries of snow, Tuesday is set to be dry for most but will remain cold. In the south, temperatures will reach no higher than 1°C to 3°C, the Met Office said.
The amber alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), means âcold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service for an extended period of timeâ.
Government help through the cold weather payment scheme is available for many people struggling with the cost of staying warm and heating their homes.
Here, i looks at who is eligible for this support and how you can receive the payment.
What is the cold weather payment?
The cold weather payment is a form of financial support to help people during periods of very cold weather.
These payments are different to the winter fuel payment, which is separate help to pay your heating bills.
The cold weather payment no longer exists in Scotland but you might receive a winter heating payment instead. This is given regardless of the weather conditions in your area.
Who can get cold weather payments?
Cold weather payments are given to people who are in receipt of certain benefits or support for mortgage interest.
You may be eligible to receive a cold weather payment if you already get:
- Pension credit
- Income support
- Income-based jobseekerâs allowance (JSA)
- Income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
- Universal credit
- Support for mortgage interest
If you have had a baby or a child under five comes to live with you, you can also get cold weather payments but you will need to tell Jobcentre Plus if you get Income Support, income-based Jobseekerâs Allowance (JSA) or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
Under what conditions will I receive the payment?
For those eligible to receive a payment, the average temperature in their area needs to be recorded as, or forecast to be, 0°C or below over seven consecutive days.
You do not need to apply for the payment but should receive the money automatically into the same bank or building society that your usual benefit payment goes into.
You should receive the payment within 14 working days following the end of each seven-day spell of cold weather.
If you think you should have received a cold weather payment but you have not, you should contact your pension centre or Jobcentre Plus office. If you are on universal credit, contact the helpline on 0800 328 9344.
How much will I receive?
You will be given ÂŁ25 for each seven day period of very cold weather between 1 November 2023 and 31 March 2024.
To check if any payments are due in your area, you can enter your postcode into this tool on the DWPâs website.
