Cold Weather Payments

January 7th 2010 : Frequently Asked Questions on Cold Weather Payments published by the Department of Work and Pensions

 What are Cold Weather Payments

For customers on a low income, a Cold Weather Payment may be available for each seven-day period at or below zero degrees celsius.

Who can get Cold Weather Payments?

 People on certain qualifying benefits are automatically eligible:

How much is a Cold Weather Payment?

This year payments are £25 per week for any seven consecutive days when the average temperature is zero degrees Celsius or below. 

 Does the scheme run all year round?

The scheme runs from 1 November to 31 March.

How do you measure the temperature?

We use 85 specified Meteorological Office weather stations

How many weather stations have triggered payments so far?

As of 6 January 2010, 61 of the 85 weather stations have triggered a payment since 1 November (some of them have triggered three or four payments so far).

Why use postcodes linked to weather stations?

This is the most straightforward way to run the scheme. The Meteorological Office advises that the network of 85 weather stations is sufficient to provide national coverage with a reasonable level of local sensitivity.

How can I find out if a Cold Weather Payment has been triggered?

There is a postcode search facility at: http://pensions.direct.gov.uk/en/cold-weather-payment/home.asp

This will show how many payments have been triggered for that postcode.  Eligible customers will be paid automatically and do not need to apply.

Will Cold Weather Payment affect other benefits?

Cold Weather Payments will not affect other benefits.

How do customers apply for a Cold Weather Payment?

They don't need to apply – eligible customers will get a Cold Weather Payment automatically once payments are triggered for their area.

What if a customer is eligible, and it has been very cold, and they have not received a payment?

They should tell their pension centre or Jobcentre Plus if they think they should have received a Cold Weather Payment but have not had one.  Customers may first like to use the online postcode search facility to check if payments have been triggered for their area).

http://pensions.direct.gov.uk/en/cold-weather-payment/home.asp

How will customers get their money?

Customers will receive their money in the usual way that they receive their benefits.  So if their benefit is paid directly into a bank account, the Cold Weather payment will be paid into the same account.  If they receive their benefit by cheque, that is how they will receive their Cold Weather Payment. 

When will customers get their money?

Customers will generally receive payments within a week of the payment being triggered.

Is Cold Weather Payment the same as a Winter Fuel Payment?

No, the Cold Weather Payment is a separate payment, paid on top of the Winter Fuel Payment.

So what is the Winter Fuel Payment?

Winter Fuel Payments are paid (mostly before Christmas) to those aged over 60. The amount of the Winter Fuel Payment is currently £250 for pensioners aged 60-79 years living alone. (£125 if they share a home with another eligible person). For people aged 80 or over the amount payable is £400 (£200 if they share a home with another eligible person aged 80 or over).

Carers UK information on Cold Weather Payments

If the temperature reaches freezing or below for at least seven days in a row in your area, and you are in receipt of one of certain benefits, will receive an automatic cold weather payment.  The amount of the payment is £25 for each week of cold weather during the period from 1 November to 31 March. 

You will receive this payment if you are getting one of the following benefits for at least one day during the period of cold weather, and you are not resident in a care home:

• Pension Credit (either the guarantee credit part or the savings credit part, or both parts); or
• Income Support (IS) or Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) and you have a child under five living in your family; or
• IS or Income-based JSA and your benefit includes the disability premium, or the severe disability premium, or the enhanced disability premium, or the disabled child premium, or one of the pensioner premiums; or
• IS or Income-based JSA and you have a child for whom you receive Child Tax Credit including an amount for a disability or severe disability; or
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and your benefit includes a pensioner premium, severe disability premium or enhanced disability premium; or
• Income-related ESA and you are entitled to a support component or work-related activity component, that is, after the first 13 weeks of the ESA claim.                                                                                                               

Each postcode in the country is linked to a weather station.  If the temperature at your local weather station is recorded as zero degrees Celcius (freezing) or less for seven days in a row, the cold weather payment will automatically be made to you.

If there has been a payment for your area, and you in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits, but you have not received a payment then you  should contact their local Jobcentre Plus office or pension centre.

More information from Direct Gov about Cold Weather payments