Britons shivering through the recent icy snap could be entitled to extra financial help from the government. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has activated its Cold Weather Payments scheme for qualifying households in hundreds of postcode areas across England and Wales.
What Are Cold Weather Payments and Who Qualifies?
Cold Weather Payments are additional benefits of £25 paid to people receiving certain types of government support during periods of exceptionally cold weather. The scheme runs from 1 November 2025 to 31 March 2026. A payment is triggered for your area when the average temperature is recorded or forecast to be zero degrees Celsius or below for seven consecutive days.
Eligibility is linked to receiving specific benefits. You may qualify if you are in receipt of:
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit
- Support for Mortgage Interest
However, individual circumstances matter. For example, if you claim Universal Credit, you and your partner must not be employed or 'gainfully self-employed' to receive the cold weather top-up.
How to Check and Claim Your Payment
The process is designed to be automatic. You do not need to apply for a Cold Weather Payment. If you are eligible, the DWP will pay it into your account directly. The government advises that these payments do not affect any of your other benefits.
You should, however, inform Jobcentre Plus if you have a new baby or if a child under five comes to live with you, as this could affect your entitlement.
To see if your local area has triggered a payment, you can use the official postcode checker on the GOV.UK website. Residents of Northern Ireland should visit the NI Direct website for their specific criteria. It is important to note that Scotland does not use the Cold Weather Payment scheme. Instead, eligible people receive an annual Winter Heating Payment.
Which Areas Have Already Received Payments?
As of early January 2026, the DWP had activated payments for nearly 250 postcode districts, potentially supporting over half a million households. Affected regions include parts of Greater Manchester, Cumbria, Gloucestershire, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
A selection of the activated postcodes includes: CA1-CA8, BH1-BH25, M1-M50, SK1-SK16, WA1-WA16, and BT24-BT34 among many others. A full list is available on the government's website.
With further cold spells forecast, more postcodes are likely to be added to the list throughout the winter period. Households on qualifying benefits are urged to check their eligibility online to see if they are due this vital financial support.
