Deep freeze means millions will get £25 cold weather payments

Millions of households will receive a £25 cold weather payment from the Government as temperatures plummet below freezing this week.

The Government pays households on benefits £25 for each week that temperatures drop, or are forecast to drop, below zero between 1 November and 31 March.

The cold snap has already triggered a payment for thousands of homes across England and Wales, according to the Department for Work and Pensions.

Millions of vulnerable homes could be eligible to receive the payment this winter, which is given to those claiming certain benefits such as pension credit, income support, jobseeker’s allowance, universal credit or support for mortgage interest.

The cold snap this month is expected to drive up household energy bills, with experts warning that families could pay more than £10 a day just to keep warm.

Heating bills have soared thanks to successive hikes in the energy price cap. The unit rate for gas has risen from 5p per kWh to 10p since last year, after the war in Ukraine sent global energy prices into a spiral.

Meanwhile in the wholesale market, power prices hit a record high this month, as freezing temperatures and low wind speeds triggered a scramble for electricity supply.

Families are bracing for further cold temperatures, freezing fog and wintry showers this week. The Met Office has already issued yellow weather warnings, with temperatures expected to stay well below freezing tonight.

Households in Scotland do not qualify for the Government’s cold weather payments, but they may be eligible for a £50 winter heating payment instead, which does not rely on weather conditions. 

Anyone born before 26 September 1956 could be eligible for a separate payment worth between £250 and £600 to help with heating bills. This includes a “pensioner cost of living payment” between £150 and £300, paid this winter.

Most people will receive the “winter fuel payment” automatically if they meet Government criteria, and would have already received a letter confirming the benefit. 

If you did not receive a letter in October or November, but believe you are eligible, you can check if you need to claim on the Department for Work and Pensions website. You can make a claim for a payment this winter up until 31 March 2023.

You can confirm if cold weather payments have been triggered in your area on the DWP's website, using its postcode checker.