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As the UK prepares for frigid conditions, certain households might qualify for a specific payment due to cold weather.
If temperatures fall to 0°C or lower for seven consecutive days in a designated postcode area, residents there could be eligible for a one-time payment of £25 to assist with heating expenses.
This program is distinct from the Winter Fuel Payment, which is a benefit for seniors that became a topic of discussion when the government revealed plans to means test it this summer.
Households with low incomes in England and Wales are eligible to receive Cold Weather Payments from November through March during particularly severe winter conditions.
With all of England placed under a cold weather alert this week and warnings for ice and snow released from the Met Office, it’s likely that the chilly spell will persist long enough to trigger these payments.
The last payments were distributed in January to regions including Cumbria and Northumberland.
It is now possible to ascertain whether your region will be included and if you qualify for the payments by visiting the Department for Work and Pensions’ website.
When are Cold Weather Payments issued?
Cold Weather Payments are provided between 1 November and 31 March for individuals receiving various benefits across England and Wales.
These payments have not yet been dispensed this winter, but the initial payments may occur this month if cold conditions persist for seven days or longer.
The program connects postcode districts to Met Office weather stations that report daily temperatures. Each postcode district is linked to the most comparable weather station based on average winter temperatures from 1981 to 2010.
Who qualifies for the Cold Weather Payment?
The Social Fund Cold Weather Payments (CWP) program assists those on benefits who are especially vulnerable to cold conditions. This encompasses:
- Income Support
- Seniors receiving Pension Credit
- Homeowners receiving Support for Mortgage Interest who have a severe/enhanced disability premium; a pensioner premium; a disabled child; a child under 5 living with them or who receives Child Tax Credit that includes disability/severe disability
- Disabled adults, families with disabled children, or families with a child under 5 who are receiving Universal Credit
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
In Scotland and Northern Ireland, the payments are managed separately.
How to find the latest Cold Weather Payment Postcodes
The most recent Cold Weather Payment postcodes can be checked through the Gov.uk postcode checker.
What is the amount of the Cold Weather Payment?
Eligible individuals will receive £25 for each seven-day period during the winter months from 1 November to 31 March.
If you qualify, the funds will be automatically deposited into your bank account.
The DWP has assured that households do not need to apply or take any further steps to receive the payment.
During the winter season of 2022 to 2023, an estimated £137.6 million was disbursed through this program.
Approximately 5.5 million payments were made to around 3.7 million recipients.
The UK is preparing for ‘disruptive snow’, icy conditions, and low temperatures in the days ahead, according to the Met Office.
As much as 20cm of snow could fall in the areas most affected by what is described as the nation’s ‘initial encounter with winter’, according to forecasts.
The Met Office has released several yellow weather warnings for snow and ice affecting parts of the UK, beginning Sunday afternoon and lasting until Tuesday morning, with the likelihood of these warnings being ‘upgraded’.
A warning will be effective from 7pm today until 10am Tuesday, encompassing regions in the East Midlands, Yorkshire, Wales, and northern England throughout the night.
Within these areas, there is a risk of power outages, disruptions to transport systems, and potential injury from slips on ice, as indicated by the weather services.
Contact our news team via email at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more articles like this, visit our news page.
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