The Cold Weather Payment is a government scheme that provides automatic payments to eligible households during periods of very cold weather. If you qualify and temperatures drop low enough, you should receive payments without needing to apply — but it's worth understanding exactly how the scheme works so you can check you're receiving what you're entitled to.

How Much Is the Cold Weather Payment?

The payment is £25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather in your area. “Very cold” is defined as the average temperature being recorded or forecast to be 0°C or below for seven consecutive days. There's no limit on the number of payments you can receive in a winter — if there are four qualifying cold spells in your area, you'd receive four payments of £25.

Who Qualifies?

To receive Cold Weather Payments, you must be claiming one of the following benefits:

• Pension Credit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Universal Credit (with certain conditions — see below)
• Support for Mortgage Interest

For Universal Credit claimants, you must also have either: a health condition or disability, a child under 5, or be pregnant.

How Are Payments Made?

Payments are made automatically — you don't need to apply. They're paid into the same bank account your qualifying benefit is paid into, usually within 14 working days of the qualifying cold weather period ending.

The scheme runs from 1 November to 31 March each year.

How to Check If You Should Have Received a Payment

The government's Cold Weather Payment checker (on GOV.UK) allows you to enter your postcode to see whether any cold weather payments have been triggered in your area this winter. If the checker shows payments have been triggered and you haven't received yours, contact the relevant benefit office:

• For Pension Credit: The Pension Service
• For Universal Credit: your work coach or the UC helpline
• For other benefits: Jobcentre Plus

Don't Confuse It With the Warm Home Discount

The Cold Weather Payment is separate from the Warm Home Discount, which is a one-off annual payment (currently £150) applied directly to your electricity bill. If you receive Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, you should receive the Warm Home Discount automatically. Others may need to apply through their energy supplier.

Other Winter Support to Check

If you're over State Pension age, you may also be entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment — though eligibility rules changed in 2024, and payments are now means-tested for most recipients. Check GOV.UK for the current eligibility criteria.

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