The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued newly updated easy-read advice for people who may want to claim Cold Weather Payments. The guidance was published today for people on four main benefit types.
A Cold Weather Payment is a £25 government grant paid to help with heating costs during freezing spells in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. People on five kinds of benefit get the money if the average temperature in their area is recorded or forecast to be 0C or below for seven consecutive days.
Payment window and eligibility
The scheme started on 1 November and will run until 31 March. Payments are made automatically into the same bank account as the qualifying benefit within 14 working days of each qualifying cold period. Cold Weather Payments do not affect other benefits.
You usually qualify if you receive one of the following benefits: Pension Credit; Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA); Universal Credit (with specific criteria like a disability, health condition with limited capability for work, or a child under 5); or Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI).
If you are not in either group, you might also get Cold Weather Payments if you have any of the following: a severe or enhanced disability premium, a pensioner premium, a child who is disabled, or a child under 5 living with you.
How and when you get paid
If you are eligible, you will get £25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027. After each period of very cold weather in your area, you should get a payment within 14 working days. It is paid into the same bank or building society account as your benefit payments.
If you think you should have got a Cold Weather Payment but have not, tell the Pension Service or Jobcentre Plus. If you are getting Universal Credit, sign in to your account and add a note to your journal. If you do not have an online account, ring the Universal Credit helpline instead. The phone number is on letters about your Universal Credit claim. If you get Pension Credit, contact the Pension Service helpline on 0800 731 0469. If you cannot hear or speak on the phone, use Relay UK: 18001 then 0800 731 0469.
Context and support
Personal finance expert Martin Lewis issued a stark warning this week, with Money Saving Expert analysis suggesting that households could face energy price hikes of almost 30% come January. The UK energy price cap rose by 3.6% (rounded to 4%) on 1 October, pushing the average annual bill for a typical dual-fuel household paying by monthly Direct Debit to £1,723. While prices had previously been forecast to climb by over 20% in January, Lewis warned that such predictions are likely to significantly underestimate the true impact.
Last February, the DWP said almost 1.5 million households received the £25 Cold Weather Payment since December. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden said at the time: “This support is a lifeline for vulnerable households when temperatures plummet. Combined with our wider cost of living support – including a higher National Living Wage, £150 off energy bills, and a £300 Winter Fuel Payment for over nine million pensioners - these measures are making a real difference to households across the country.”
Pensioners on low incomes can apply for Pension Credit, worth on average £86 a week, which also provides access to other support including help with housing costs and free NHS dental treatment. Morgan Vine, Director of Policy and Influencing at Independent Age, said: “Cold Weather Payments can be a lifeline during cold snaps. With more than half of older people on low incomes across England and Wales regularly sharing that they are worried about meeting the cost of their heating bill, it is crucial that vital support like this reaches those who need it most.”
Vine added: “We welcome this £35 million investment from the UK Government to support people of all ages struggling to heat their homes and look forward to continuing to work with the Government to ensure older people on low incomes receive the financial support they need.”
