cold weather payment post codes...

shazajo

just received a CWP this morning postcode ne4

[Deleted User]

2nd payment today SK14

magoogy

i got my first payment of the winter - went straight into bank account....

bd8 area, west yorkshire

lukieboy96

Payment received today.

TN4 area

Deb_in_Devon

i received a payment in the bank today but don't know when for. Postcode is TQ2.

Deb

magoogy

i received a cold weather payment yesterday as i stated on here - for the bradford 8 area, yet, today in the telegraph and argus it states that it hasnt been cold enough

here is the full story;

Freezing temperatures fail to trigger extra heating payments

10:34am Thursday 8th January 2009


If you think it’s been cold in Bradford, think again… according to the Government, the big freeze is not enough for them to fork out cold weather payments.

There have been days of frost in the area with temperatures dropping as low as -5ºC. The cold weather payments are triggered when the average temperature falls, or is forecast to fall, to 0ºC or below for seven consecutive days.

According to the Department for Work and Pensions, as of Monday payouts had been triggered at 48 of the country’s 76 weather stations, prompting 3.7m payments totalling £93 million – but no Bradford postcodes were included.

The payments have this year been trebled by Government from £8.50 to £25 a week.

Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell said: “We don’t want people to worry about turning up their heating when it’s cold. That is why we’ve trebled the Cold Weather Payment to £25. Millions of vulnerable people and pensioners are now in line for this extra help after the recent cold snap.”
But 82-year-old Peter Raistrick, a spokesman for older people in Bradford district, said: “It surprises me that they are not paying out in Bradford. Surely it is cold enough.

“James Purnell is saying don’t worry about turning up your heating but then we have got to go seven days with temperatures below freezing. It is a ridiculous statement.”

If temperatures continue to plummet in the area, Bradford residents could yet still be in line for the cash.

Readings for the district are taken at Bingley weather station, and yesterday saw highs of 3 in the district and lows of -1.

Today temperatures are expected to be between 2 and -3, with highs of 3 on Saturday and 8 on Sunday.

In addition to the increased cold weather payments, the Government has increased Christmas bonuses for pensioners and disabled people from £10 to £70 this year, as well as boosting winter fuel payments to £250 for those in households with someone 60 or over, and £400 for those with someone 80 and above.


IM NOW TOTALLY CONFUSED - SHOULD I NOT HAVE GOT THE PAYMENT AND WILL THEY TAKE IT BACK? IVE JUST BEEN AND USED IT FOR GAS AND DONT HAVE IT......

ALSO - WILL THIS HAVE BEEN FOR LAST WEEK OR A FEW WEEKS AGO? HOW DOES IT WORK??

THANKS

bignosemac1

Let's try and clear a few things up. Those eligible for the £25 Cold Weather Payment [CWP] are set out as follows (information in italics from direct.gov.uk):-

You may be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment for each week of very cold weather in your area if you get Pension Credit.
You may also be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment for each qualifying week if you are getting Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance and have a child under five or get one of the following:
- A pensioner premium, higher pensioner premium or enhanced pensioner premium.
- A disability premium or severe disability premium.
- A disabled child premium.
- A Child Tax Credit that includes an individual element for a child or qualifying young person who is disabled or severely disabled.

Incapacity Benefit [IB] claimants are NOT eligible, neither are those in receipt of contribution based Jobseekers Allowance.
Claimants of Disability Living Allowance [DLA] (for themselves) and Attendance Allowance [AA] at ANY rate (lower, middle, higher) are NOT eligible. OF course in you get DLA/AA in addition to the eligible benefits listed above then you will qualify. An award of DLA/AA usually unlocks one of the additional premiums. However it is because you receive THAT premium and not receipt of DLA/AA that you will get a CWP.
Claimants of DLA for disabled children MAY get a CWP, but only if they are also claiming a Child Tax Credit for the disabled child.

Here's some examples:-

- An OAP in receipt of Pension Credit. YES
- A single parent with a child under 5 AND in receipt of Income Support YES
- A sick or disabled person receiving Incapacity Benefit NO
- A sick or disabled person receiving Income Support AND a disability premium YES
- A person in receipt of DLA/AA and no other benefit NO
- An unemployed person in receipt of contribution based JSA NO
- An unemployed person in receipt of income based JSA with a disability premium YES

That list is not exhaustive and ALL people who receive a state benefit should check their entitlement. Calls to the DWP may provide the correct information but rarely do, I suggest using a Welfare Rights advisor or Citizens Advice (most local authorities provide a Benefits/Welfare rights service).

Now here's the meteorological criteria for CWPs to be activated.

You will get £25 when the average temperature where you live is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days during the period from 1 November to 31 March. Specified Meteorological Office weather stations are used to obtain this information.

The actual calculation of the temperature is made by averaging the highest and lowest temperatures in a 24hr period (0000 to 2359) and if this average is at or below (or forecast to be at or below) 0 degrees celsius for 7 consecutive days then CWPs will be issued. So if on day x the temperatures were +4C (high) and -4C (low) that day would qualify. But if that days high was +5C then it would not qualify. 7 consecutive days need to be on average at or below 0C. The temperature DOES NOT have to be at or below 0C for the entire 7 day period.
The temperature recordings are taken at numerous Meteorological Office weather stations across the UK and your postcode determines which stations information is used in calculating whether a CWP is due. The temperature information is passed to the DWP who then contact District Offices when a weather station in that district has recorded (or is forecast to record) CWP qualifying temperatures. As at 6/01/09 nearly 50 of the 72 monitoring stations have triggered CWPs (http://www.channel4.com/news/article...ayouts/2898277) with some being triggered more than once. Those who qualify get £25 for each trigger period.

Payment of CWPs will usually accompany your qualifying benefit on your usual payment day, after the trigger period(s) (but not necessarily on your next payment day) and in the same method as you receive that benefit. However I am not sure this is happening in every case as there are numerous posts on many forums that say otherwise. Officially payments are automatic but they can be issued clerically. Also you may receive a letter confirming your award of CWP from your local Benefit Delivery Centre, but again this is not always the case.

If after reading all this you think you qualify for a CWP then I suggest waiting until your next payment day to see whether you have an additional amount. You need to check carefully as many benefit claimants will also be receiving an additional £60 "Christmas" bonus in the next few months (see other threads). If you believe you are entitled and do not receive a payment then you need to inform the DWP for a Decision Maker to look into your claim and decide on your eligibility. The usual appeals route is open to decide on CWP eligibilty.

Finally, I think I've covered everything but please bear in mind that this information is not a statement of fact, however I have checked it carefully against statutory regulations, official DWP publications, official government websites and with a friendly DWP employee!

moyilla

Thank you for your post bignosemac1 - very helpful.

Claimants of DLA for disabled children MAY get a CWP, but only if they are also claiming a Child Tax Credit for the disabled child.


I will be ringing somewhere tomorrow for some answers I think.

We fit ALL the criteria BUT my OH dares to go out to work therefore making us exempt!!

How many more parents are there out there with disabled children who are being excluded due to work.

Truly unbelieveable.

deb68_2

HiI cant get the channel 4 site to work for me to check the cwp my postcode is LL42 does anyone no if this has beganthanks

tattoed_bum

hi i also recieve disable child tax credits i dont work but my oh does and we havent recieved any cwp either yet my gran who lives in the same street has had 2 this month so it looks like we dont get it