You might be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment if the temperature where you live drops below freezing.
It is worth keeping an eye out for these payments, especially after parts of the UK froze in temperatures of -15C and were blanketed in snow earlier this month.
Each payment is worth £25 – but you can receive multiple payments over winter. Some households have already received two payments this year, totalling £50.
Last year, some people received £75 in total, after three Cold Weather Payments were triggered.
Cold Weather Payments are awarded when the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, 0C or below over seven consecutive days.
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Getty Images)
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Getty Images)
They are given to people on low incomes who receive certain benefits – you can see more information about who exactly is eligible below.
Most people should receive the cash automatically – although there are some situations where you won’t.
Cold Weather Payments are not available in Scotland anymore – but you might be entitled to an annual £50 Winter Heating Payment instead.
We explain everything you need to know about Cold Weather Payments.
Postcodes eligible for one Cold Weather Payment worth £25:
- Aberporth: SA35-48, SA64-65
- 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
- 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
- Capel Curig: LL24-25, LL41
- Charlwood: BN5-6, BN44, GU5-6, ME6, ME14-20, RH1-20, TN1-20, TN22, TN27
- Charterhall: NE71
- Chivenor: EX23, EX31-34, EX39
- 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
- Crosby: CH41-49, CH60-66, FY1-8, L1-40, PR1-5, PR8-9, PR25-26
- Dunkeswell Aerodrome: DT6-8, EX13-15, TA21
- Fylingdales: YO13, YO18, YO21-22, YO62
- Hawarden Airport: CH1-8, LL11-14, SY14
- Heathrow: BR1-4, CR0, CR2-8, E1-18, E20, E1W, EN1-5, EN7-11, HA0-9, IG1-11, KT1-24, N1-22, NW1-11, SE1-28, SL0, SL3, SM1-7, SW2-20, TW1-20, UB1-11, W2-14
- Hereford-Credenhill: GL1-6, GL10, GL14-20, GL50-53, HR1-9, NP7-8, NP15, NP25, SY8, WR1-11, WR13-15
- Herstmonceux West End: BN7-8, BN20-24, BN26-27, TN21, TN31-40.
- 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
- Leconfield: DN14, HU1-20, YO11-12, YO14-17, YO25.
- Leek, Thorncliffe: DE4, DE45, S32-33, SK13, SK17, SK22-23, ST9-10, ST13
- Leeming: DL1-DL3, DL6,DL7, DL9, DL10, TS9, S16 YO7
- Liscombe: EX16, EX35-36, TA22, TA24.
- Little Rissington: CV36, GL54-56, OX7, OX15-17, WR12
- Llysdinam: LD1-2, LD4-8, SA19-20, SY7, SY9, SY18
- Loftus: SR8, TS1-8, TS10-14, TS17-20
- Marham: CB6-7, IP24-28, PE12-14, PE30-38
- Mona: LL33-34, LL42-49, LL51-78
- Morpeth, Cockle Park: NE22, NE24, NE61-70
- North Wyke: EX17-22, EX37-38, PL19-21, TQ10-11, TQ13
- 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
- Rhyl: LL15-19, LL22, LL26-32.
- Rothamsted: AL1-10, EN6, HP1-4, LU1-7, SG1-4, SG12-14, WD3-7, WD17-19, WD23-25
- Shawbury: SY1-6, SY11-13, TF1-13
- Sheffield: DN1–8, DN11-12,HD1-2, HD4-6, S1-14, S17-18, S20-21, S25-26, S35, S40-45, S60-66, S70-75, S80-81, WF1-17.
- Shoeburyness: BR5-8, CM0, CT5-6, DA1-18, ME1-5, ME7-13, RM1-3, RM5-20, SS0-9, SS11-17
- Stonyhurst: BB1-3, BB5-7, LA2, LA6-7, PR6
- St Bees Head: CA13-15, CA18-28
- Stowe: NN1-7 NN11-13, MK18
- Thorney Island: BN1-3, BN9-18, BN25, BN41-43, BN45, PO1-22, PO30-41, SO14-19, SO30-32, SO40-43, SO45, SO50-53
- Tibenham: NR1-35
- Waddington: DN9-10, DN13, DN15-22, DN31-41, LN1-13, NG23-24, PE10-11, PE20-25.
- 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
Postcodes eligible for two Cold Weather Payments worth £50
- Albemarle: DH1-7, DH9, DL4-5, DL14-17, NE1-13, NE15-18, NE20-21, NE23, NE25-46, SR1-7, TS21, TS28-29
- 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
- Carlisle: CA1-8, DG12, DG16
- Eskdalemuir: DG14, TD9
- Exeter Airport: EX1-12, EX24, TQ1-6, TQ9, TQ12, TQ14
- Libanus: NP4, NP11-13, NP22-24, NP44, SA9
- 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
- Shap: CA10-12, CA16-17, LA8-10, LA21-23
- Trawsgoed: LL35-40, SY20, SY23-25
- Yeovilton: BA4-10, BA16, BA20-22, BS25-28, DT9-10, SP8, TA1-20, TA23
Cold Weather Payments explained
Cold Weather Payments started again on November 1 and will run until March 31, 2023.
The Government uses weather stations in England and Wales to determine when a Cold Weather Payment has been triggered.
You could get a Cold Weather Payment if the temperature drops and you’re receiving:
- Pension Credit
- Income Support (if you 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 or a child under five living with you)
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (if you 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 or a child under five living with you)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (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 or a child under five living with you)
- Universal Credit (if you are not employed or self-employed, and you have a health condition or disability and have limited capability for work, or you have a child under five living with you)
- Support for Mortgage Interest (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 or a child under five living with you)
If you claim Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, you will need to contact Jobcentre Plus to get a Cold Weather Payment if:
- You’ve had a baby
- A child under five has come to live with you
How to check if you’re due a Cold Weather Payment
You can check if you are due a payment in your area by looking up your postcode.
If you’ve not received a Cold Weather Payment and you think you’re eligible, contact the Pension Service or Jobcentre Plus.