Over four million UK households are set to benefit from an automatic cost of living support aimed at easing the burden of heating bills this winter. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will distribute the Cold Weather Payment—valued at £25—during every seven-day spell of continuous below-zero temperatures until the end of March.
This payment is triggered based on regional weather conditions and is credited directly to eligible recipients' bank accounts within 14 days, without the need for an application. The initiative is designed to help vulnerable households manage heating costs during the coldest periods.
Eligibility for the Cold Weather Payment extends to recipients of benefits such as Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Universal Credit, and Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI).
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Specific qualifying criteria include:
- Receiving Pension Credit.
- Receiving Income Support or income-based JSA while also having a disability or pensioner premium, or living with a disabled child or a child under 5.
- Receiving income-related ESA and belonging to a work-related activity or support group, or having relevant premiums or vulnerable children if not in these groups.
- Receiving Universal Credit and being unemployed or not gainfully self-employed, including cases where a partner is not employed or gainfully self-employed.
- Including a disabled child amount in the Universal Credit claim, regardless of employment status of the claimant or partner.
- Receiving SMI while treated as receiving another qualifying benefit that includes relevant disability or pensioner premiums, or having a disabled child or a young child in the household.
It is important to note that residents in Scotland are not eligible for the Cold Weather Payment but may receive a Winter Heating Payment as an alternative form of support.
By providing these payments automatically, the DWP ensures that vulnerable households receive timely assistance to help offset the financial strain of cold winter conditions.