The seasonal benefit will be coming to a close in a matter of weeks
The seasonal benefit is paid between 1 November and 31 March (Image: GETTY)
Cold Weather Payments are issued to eligible households whenever temperatures drop to zero degrees or lower for seven days in a row. The winter support programme will be coming to an end in just a few weeks on March 31, with hundreds of postcodes having already claimed the payment this winter.
Last winter saw more than 1.4million payments handed out, amounting to roughly £35million. This year, Storm Goretti brought snow, powerful winds and freezing conditions throughout the first weeks of the year, triggering payments for many areas and some places have already received more than one payment according to the Daily Express.
To be eligible for the payment, you must be receiving at least one of the following benefits:
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit
- Support for Mortgage Interest
Some benefits have extra criteria that claimants must meet to qualify. For example, those receiving JSA will need to be getting a disability or pensioner premium, have a disabled child or have a child under five years old living with them to be eligible.
Postcodes that have triggered two payments:
- CA9
- CA10
- CA11
- CA12
- CA16
- CA17
- DG14
- LA8
- LA9
- LA10
- LA21
- LA22
- LA23
- NE19
- NE47
- NE48
- NE49
- TD9
- CO9
- SG5
- SG6
- SG7
- SG8
- SG9
- SG10
- SG11
- SG15
- SG16
- SG17
- SG18
- SG19
Postcodes that have triggered one payment:
- AL3
- AL4
- AL5
- AL6
- AL7
- AL8
- AL9
- AL10
- BB4
- BB8
- BB9
- BB10
- BB11
- BB12
- BB18
- BD1
- BD2
- BD3
- BD4
- BD5
- BD6
- BD7
- BD8
- BD9
- BD10
- BD11
- BD12
- BD13
- BD14
- BD15
- BD16
- BD17
- BD18
- BD19
- BD20
- BD21
- BD22
- BN5
- BN6
- BN44
- CB8
- CB9
- CO1
- CO2
- CO3
- CO4
- CO5
- CO6
- CO7
- CO8
- CO10
- CO11
- CO12
- CO13
- CO14
- CO15
- CO16
- DE4
- DE6
- DE45
- EN6
- GU5
- GU6
- HD3
- HD7
- HD8
- HD9
- HP1
- HP2
- HP3
- HP4
- HP5
- HP6
- HP7
- HP8
- HP9
- HP10
- HP11
- HP12
- HP13
- HP14
- HP15
- HP16
- HP17
- HP18
- HP19
- HP20
- HP21
- HP22
- HP23
- HP27
- HX1
- HX2
- HX3
- HX4
- HX5
- HX6
- HX7
- IP1
- IP2
- IP3
- IP4
- IP5
- IP6
- IP7
- IP8
- IP9
- IP10
- IP11
- IP12
- IP13
- IP14
- IP15
- IP16
- IP17
- IP18
- IP19
- IP20
- IP21
- IP22
- IP23
- IP29
- IP30
- IP31
- IP32
- IP33
The DWP payment is aimed at households battling with energy bills when the temperature drops. It offers £25 for every seven-day period where a location experiences or is forecast to have freezing temperatures.
The payments are made automatically, with eligible people getting the funds within two weeks of their postcode experiencing harsh weather. Anyone who believes they’re entitled but hasn’t received their payment should contact the Pension Service, Jobcentre Plus or post a message on their Universal Credit journal.
Throughout the Cold Weather Payment period, the DWP operates a postcode checker allowing people to confirm whether their location has experienced cold enough conditions to warrant a payment.
Social Security Scotland has introduced the Winter Heating Payment, set to replace the Cold Weather Payment for eligible claimants living in Scotland from 1 November 2022.