What are Cold Weather Payments?

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

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 will 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 will 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 will usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get Universal Credit, you are 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 receive Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, and:

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

You will need to tell Jobcentre Plus. You will NOT 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 1st November and 31st March.

Am I due another Cold Weather Payment?

You will be able to check if your area is due a payment by searching with your postcode.

Are Cold Weather Payments taxable?

Cold Weather Payments are not taxable.

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. This may be due to hospital stays, as these can also affect your payment.

If you are getting Universal Credit, contact the helpline instead:

Universal Credit Helpline:

Telephone : 0345 600 0723

Textphone : 0345 600 0743

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm