Cold Weather Payment

Printable version

1. Overview

You may get Cold Weather Payments if you’re getting certain benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest. 

If you’re eligible, you’ll get these payments automatically. You do not need to apply, but you may need to tell Jobcentre Plus if you have a baby or if a child under 5 comes to live with you.

The payments do not affect your other benefits.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg) and in an easy read format.

You’ll get a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below over 7 consecutive days.

You’ll get £25 for each 7 day period of very cold weather between 1 November 2024 and 31 March 2025.

The 2023 to 2024 Cold Weather Payment scheme has now ended. The 2024 to 2025 scheme will start on 1 November 2024. You’ll be able to check if your area is due a payment in November 2024.

Cold Weather Payments are different to Winter Fuel Payments.

If you live in Scotland

You cannot get Cold Weather Payments.

You might get an annual Winter Heating Payment instead. You’ll get this payment regardless of weather conditions in your area.

2. Eligibility

You may get Cold Weather Payments if you’re getting:

  • Pension Credit
  • Income Support
  • income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Universal Credit
  • Support for Mortgage Interest

If you live in Scotland, you cannot get Cold Weather Payments. You might get an annual Winter Heating Payment instead.

Pension Credit

You’ll usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get Pension Credit.

Income Support and income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

You’ll usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get Income Support or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) 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

You’ll usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get income-related ESA and are in a work-related activity group or support group. If you’re not in either group, you might also get Cold Weather Payments if you 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’ll usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get Universal Credit and:

  • you are not employed or ‘gainfully self-employed’
  • your partner is not employed or ‘gainfully self-employed’ (if you have a partner)

You’re likely to be considered ‘gainfully self-employed’ if being self-employed is your main job, you work regularly and expect to make a profit.

One of the following must also apply:

You’ll also be eligible if you have a disabled child amount in your claim. It does not matter whether you or your partner are employed, self-employed or not working.

Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI)

You’ll usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) and you’re treated as getting a qualifying benefit where one of the following applies:

  • a severe or enhanced disability premium
  • a pensioner premium
  • you have a child who is disabled
  • you get Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
  • you have a child under 5 living with you

You’re usually treated as getting a qualifying benefit if you apply for it but do not receive it because your income is too high.

3. What you need to do

You do not need to apply. If you’re eligible to get Cold Weather Payments, you’ll be paid automatically.

If you have a baby or if a child under 5 comes to live with you

Tell Jobcentre Plus if you get Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and:

  • you’ve had a baby
  • a child under 5 has come to live with you

You will not automatically get Cold Weather Payments if you do not.

4. When you’ll get paid

If you’re eligible to get Cold Weather Payments, you’ll get £25 for each 7 day period of very cold weather between 1 November 2024 and 31 March 2025.

The 2023 to 2024 Cold Weather Payment scheme has now ended. The 2024 to 2025 scheme will start on 1 November 2024. You’ll be able to check if your area is due a payment in November 2024.

After each period of very cold weather in your area, you should get a payment within 14 working days. It’s paid into the same bank or building society account as your benefit payments.

If you do not get your Cold Weather Payments

Tell the Pension Service or Jobcentre Plus if you think you should have got a Cold Weather Payment but you have not.

If you’re getting Universal Credit, sign in to your account and add a note to your journal.

If you do not have an online account, ring the Universal Credit helpline instead. The phone number is on letters about your Universal Credit claim.

5. Hospital stays

Tell the Pension Service or Jobcentre Plus if you go into hospital - this could affect your payment.

If you’re getting Universal Credit, sign in to your account and add a note to your journal.

If you do not have an online account, ring the Universal Credit helpline instead. The phone number is on letters about your Universal Credit.