Recipients of Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits are being urged to scrutinise their bank statements carefully, as a £25 one-off payment could be arriving unnoticed. This financial support, part of the Cold Weather Payment scheme, is designed to help with heating costs during periods of exceptionally cold weather.
Who Qualifies for the £25 Payment?
The £25 payment is automatically distributed to people claiming one of six specific benefits, provided they meet additional eligibility criteria. The payment is triggered when the temperature in a designated area is recorded or forecast to be zero degrees Celsius or below for seven consecutive days.
The qualifying benefits are:
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit
- Support for Mortgage Interest
However, eligibility can be specific. For instance, while most people on Pension Credit will qualify, those claiming Universal Credit must meet extra conditions. Typically, neither the claimant nor their partner can be in work or 'gainfully self-employed'. Furthermore, the household must either have a child under five living with them, or a member must have a health condition or disability that limits their capability for work.
Why You Might Miss the Payment
Fiona Peake, a personal finance expert at Ocean Finance, has raised concerns that many eligible people may overlook the payment. "One of the groups most at risk of not realising they've had a Cold Weather Payment are people who are on benefits that qualify but who don't monitor small deposits into their bank account," she said.
Ms Peake highlighted several situations where the payment could be missed. "Because the payment is automatic you don't need to apply, but if someone is moving between addresses, has changed bank account, or is not checking statements regularly then it's easy to miss," she explained. "The payment is £25 for each seven-day cold spell, which means you might overlook it on your bank statement. It could get buried among other payments, especially if you have regular debits or credits."
How to Identify the Payment on Your Statement
To help identify the transaction, the payment will appear on your bank statement with a specific reference code. If you live in England, look for the code 'DWP CWP'. For residents in Northern Ireland, the code will be 'SSA DWP'.
It is important to note that the Cold Weather Payment scheme does not operate in Scotland. It has been replaced by the Winter Heating Payment, which is a single payment of £59.75 made regardless of the temperature.
You can check if a cold weather payment has been triggered in your local area by using the postcode checker on the official Government website.
Ms Peake's final advice was clear: "If you believe you were eligible, your postcode was triggered and you've not received the payment, contact the Pension Service, Jobcentre Plus, or your Universal Credit helpline and ask them to check it."
