If you're receiving certain benefits, you could qualify for extra money for each week there is very cold weather in your area. This is known as a Cold Weather Payment.

Cold Weather Payment scheme 

The Cold Weather payment scheme has closed. It will reopen on 1 November 2022. You may get a Cold Weather Payment if you’re getting certain benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest.

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 seven consecutive days. You’ll get £25 for each seven day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March.

The Cold Weather Payment scheme runs from 1 November 2021 to 31 March 2022.

The Cold Weather payment checker will help you see if you are entitled to a payment in your area. Cold Weather Payments are different to Winter Fuel Payments.

What you’ll get

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

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. Cold Weather Payments do not affect your other benefits.

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

Eligibility

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

Pension Credit

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

Income Support and income-based Jobseeker's Allowance

You will usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance and have any of 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 five living with you

Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

You will usually receive get Cold Weather Payments if you get income-related Employment and Support Allowance 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 five living with you

How you will be paid

You will receive your Cold Weather Payment in the same way as you usually receive your benefit.

How to claim

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

A baby or child under five comes live with you

Tell the office that pays your benefit if you get Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance and:

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

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

If you do not receive your Cold Weather Payment

Tell the Northern Ireland Pension Centre or your local Jobs and Benefits office if you think you should have received 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.