Quickly check if you're entitled to a cold weathe...

[MSE Archna]

What are cold weather payments?

Cold weather payments are cash boosts (for paying energy bills) for those on certain benefits when the weather gets especially cold. You get £25 per week if the temperature drops to below zero celsius (or is predicted to) for seven consecutive days between 1 Nov to 31 March.

Don't confuse this with winter fuel payments for over 60s which are automatically paid every year (See the Winter Fuel news story for more).

Who's eligible?

You may be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment if you get Pension Credit or income-related Employment and Support Allowance with a support or work related activity component in the main phase.

You may also be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment for each qualifying week if you are getting Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance in the assessment phase and have one of the following:

• a pensioner premium, higher pensioner premium or enhanced pensioner premium
• a disability premium, enhanced disability premium or severe disability premium
• a disabled child premium
• Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
• a child who is under five in the family

See full details on Direct Gov.

Quickly find out if your area should receive payments

You can use Direct Gov's postcode checker to find out how many cold weather payments your area is entitled too:

Postcode checker

UPDATE 6 Jan. It looks like Direct Giv may be having problems with the postcode checker. If it's not working for you, check this Cold Weather PDF for details of payments due up to 5 Jan.

How you get the cash

There is no need to make a claim. Payments are made automatically by the Income Support Computer System or Jobseeker's Allowance Payment System after the temperature has dropped. A small number of cases are paid clerically by the Social Security or Jobs & Benefits office.

Though so people report they've not got a payment when they should....

If you've not got a payment and should have please let us know by clicking reply and posting in the discussion


Related Articles: 5 Minute Benefit Check Up, Grant Grabbing

Don't miss another deal! Get MoneySavingExpert's Weekly Email
It's full of new guides, tips, & loopholes; free & spam free

Privacy Policy
View Past Emails   FAQs

[hsf18uk]

...this offer of financial help from the government does not apply if you were made redundant through no-fault-of-your-own and happen to be single and seeking work; unless you have kid(s), partner, disability or pension.

Seems again that it's tough luck to those who have less income coming in and now have to pay out £70 per week to try and be warm. Oh, that's right - that's more money than we're given by the government each week. Shucks!

On a positive note - Martin, your site has saved me loads over the past unfortunate year. Here's to even more savings and good fortune for 2010 :-)

[DX2]

I presume the discussion you mean is this one?
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...html?t=2162593

[Fran]

Originally Posted by DX2

I presume the discussion you mean is this one?
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...html?t=2162593

I think MSE Archna means this thread as that is the one they will be following.

[DX2]

Originally Posted by Fran

I think MSE Archna means this thread as that is the one they will be following.

That's good of them :rolleyes:

[lizzieben333]

ive just checked my postcode it says i am entitiled to 2 payments but have not received anything yet.

[DX2]

Originally Posted by lizzieben333

ive just checked my postcode it says i am entitiled to 2 payments but have not received anything yet.

I'm assuming you meet the criteria above, if so give the JCP a quick call in the morning to double check there is a payment being sent out.

[burkey365]

I put my postcode in and it says i should have received 3 payments from 1st Nov until 6th Jan, checked with my bank and i received one payment at xmas and one yesterday, should i call up about the other one

[DX2]

Originally Posted by burkey365

I put my postcode in and it says i should have received 3 payments from 1st Nov until 6th Jan, checked with my bank and i received one payment at xmas and one yesterday, should i call up about the other one

Nah it will be on it's way especially if you have had one already

[di3004]

Right okay.............now ours is 4 payments.........

I know I should not write in the post code "on here" as such but here is the write up here:


The Met Office have notified the Department for Work and Pensions that 4 periods of very cold weather have occurred in the NP44 postcode area between 1 November 2009 and 6 January 2010, triggering Cold Weather Payments.
If you have qualified for Cold Weather Payments since 1 November 2009 and live in this postcode area, you will receive 4 Cold Weather Payments

[DX2]

Hooary finally the powers of be have made this a sticky....I mean it's only been mentioned several times in the other thread :rolleyes:

[di3004]

Originally Posted by DX2

Hooary finally the powers of be have made this a sticky....I mean it's only been mentioned several times in the other thread :rolleyes:

I thought this was not here earlier lol.

[SingleSue]

I've had two payments triggered but as yet no payments received.

I've had several conversations with various departments (you tend to get pushed from pillar to post and given different numbers) over the last fews days and been given various reasons for the delay.

[DX2]

Originally Posted by Fran

I think MSE Archna means this thread as that is the one they will be following.

You see I'm still not understanding this post, maybe I'm very dense! but what exactly is it that MSE are following? That some of us won't be eligible, that some of us who are eligible aren't actually getting it?
And how exactly will this help us?
Will we be seeing MSE Martin sorting this out for us :confused:

[di3004]

Originally Posted by SingleSue

I've had two payments triggered but as yet no payments received.

I've had several conversations with various departments (you tend to get pushed from pillar to post and given different numbers) over the last fews days and been given various reasons for the delay.

Still nothing here either Sue and now its gone up to 4 payments.

Were told on the phone we are eligible, and they are supposed to be getting back to us on this tomorrow as they said they did start making the payouts last week and do not understand why we have not received the first one yet.
However, I can see it being us getting back to them again, as this is like action replay like last year.

Good luck Sue.

[di3004]

Hi there

think there must be some sort of benefit alongside this as well as one of the reasons you have, for example income based job seekers allowance.

[ragstoricheswannabe]

Originally Posted by DX2

First post tells all.

Thanks, had re-read and deleted my post and thought i had got away with looking stupid!!!

[SingleSue]

And to you Di, I've had much the same as you...they go off and discuss with someone and then come back and give me a different excuse.

Yesterday it was because CTC initialise it because that is where I have the severe disability element, before that it was because there was a delay and they were catching up, today it was because those who get CTC with the severe disability element tend to be the last hard copy scan come through.

I've also checked and had confirmed that we are eligible for the payments.

[woodbine]

Originally Posted by DX2

Hooary finally the powers of be have made this a sticky....I mean it's only been mentioned several times in the other thread :rolleyes:

I pm`d the powers that be and they acted immediately,so thanks to them for that.

[Saetana]

My husband got his first cold weather payment yesterday - for a period sometime up to 30th December (exactly which period we have no idea). So, I'd say if anyone has discovered a payment has been actioned and hasn't received it after 10 days then contact the DSS (or whatever they are called these days). I wonder if there is any way we can find out the exact period for which a payment has been triggered?