Cold Weather Payments

What are Cold Weather Payments?

Cold Weather Payments are a government grant. If you’re eligible, you’ll get an automatic payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, 0 degrees celsius or below for 7 consecutive days.

Cold Weather Payments are different to Winter Fuel Payments. 

The 2017 to 2018 Cold Weather Payments Scheme is now running. You can check if your area is due a payment by searching with your postcode 
 

How do I qualify for Cold Weather Payments?

You may get a Cold Weather Payment if you’re getting:

• Pension Credit.
• Income Support.
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
• Universal Credit.

Pension Credit

You’ll usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get  Pension Credit.

Income Support and income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

You’ll usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get Income Support or income-based  Jobseeker’s Allowance and have any of the following:

• A disability or pensioner premium.
• A child who is disabled.
• Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element.
• A child under 5 living with you.

Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

You’ll usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get income-related ESA and have any of the following:

• A severe or enhanced disability premium.
• A pensioner premium.
• A child who is disabled.
• Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element.
• A child under 5 living with you.

Universal Credit

You’ll usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get Universal Credit, you’re not employed or self-employed and one of the following apply:

• You get a limited capability for work amount (with or without a work-related activity amount).
• You get the disabled child amount in your claim.
• You have a child under 5 living with you.

You’ll also be eligible if you have a disabled child amount in your claim, whether you are employed or not.

If you have a baby, or a child under 5 comes to live with you

If you recieve Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance, and: 

• You’ve had a baby. 
• Or, a child under the age of 5 has come to live with you.

You need to tell Jobcentre Plus. You won’t automatically get Cold Weather Payments if you don’t.

How much money could I get? 

If you’re eligible, you’ll get a payment of £25 for each 7 day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March.
 

Am I due another Cold Weather Payment?

You’ll be able to check if your area is due a payment in November 2017 by searching with your postcode. 
 

Are Cold Weather Payments taxable?

No, Cold Weather Payments are not taxable.
 

How do I qualify for income support or income-based Job Seekers Allowance?

You can read more information about the eligibility criteria for income support or Job Seekers Allowance here. 
 

If you don’t receive your Cold Weather Payment

Tell your pension centre or  Jobcentre Plus office if you think you should have received a Cold Weather Payment but you haven’t. This may be due to hospital stays, as these can also affect your payment. 

If you’re getting Universal Credit, contact the helpline instead.

Universal Credit helpline

Telephone: 0345 600 0723
Textphone: 0345 600 0743
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Find out about call charges