Cold Weather Payments

[enaid]

During a very cold winter, the costs of heating can quickly add up. If you're receiving certain benefits, you may be able to get a Cold Weather Payment for each period of very cold weather in your area. Find out whether you could qualify for help this winter.
On the link below you will see who qualifies and also a postcode search tells you what payments are being made in your area.

Sadly thousands of pensioners are not getting this benefit because they are not claiming Pension Credit which would mean you get the cold weather payment automatically.
If you know any elderly people well enough to help with their finances or you can get them to see someone from CAB or Social Services they may well be able to get both these benefits and live a more comfortable life.
Enaid x


Cold Weather Payment : Directgov - Money, tax and benefits

[Celestine]

Re: Cold Weather Payments

Thanks for highlighting this Enaid x


Cold Weather Payment


During a very cold winter, the costs of heating can quickly add up. If you're receiving certain benefits, you may be able to get a Cold Weather Payment for each period of very cold weather in your area. Find out whether you could qualify for help this winter.
What are Cold Weather Payments?
You don't need to apply - if you can get a Cold Weather Payment, you’ll be paid it automatically
Cold Weather Payments help people, who get certain income-related benefits, with their increased heating costs caused by periods of very cold weather during winter.
A period of very cold weather is when the temperature is either:
recorded as an average of zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days in a row
forecast to be an average zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days in a row
How the Cold Weather Payments scheme works
The Cold Weather Payments scheme runs every winter from 1 November and 31 March.
A network of weather stations gathers temperature information. This is used to see whether there has been a ‘period of very cold weather’ in any postcode area.
When there is a period of very cold weather in your postcode area, a Cold Weather Payment is made to eligible people who live there.
When there hasn’t been a period of very cold weather in your postcode area, a Cold Weather Payment will not be paid.
People who live near to each other but in different postcode areas might get Cold Weather payments at different times.
How to find out if Cold Weather Payments have been made in your postcode area
You can find out if a Cold Weather Payment has been made in your postcode area by using the Postcode Search.
Cold Weather Payment postcode searchOpens new window
Find out if your area has received payment

You can use the postcode search to find out if your area has received a Cold Weather Payment
Cold Weather Payment postcode searchOpens new window
Winter Fuel Payments
Winter Fuel Payments are different from Cold Weather Payments. Winter Fuel Payments are yearly one-off payments to help eligible people pay for their heating in the winter.
Winter Fuel Payments are paid to men and women who have reached the minimum age at which a woman can receive a state pension. They are not linked to temperature. This is different to Cold Weather Payments, which eligible people may get for each period of very cold weather in their postcode area.
Winter Fuel Payment (pensions and retirement planning section)
Who can get Cold Weather Payments?
When there has been a period of very cold weather during the winter, you can get a Cold Weather Payment if you receive one of the following benefits:
Pension Credit
Income Support
income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Pension Credit
If you get Pension Credit, you will usually receive Cold Weather Payments.
Income Support and income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
If you receive Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, you will get Cold Weather Payments if you also have any of the following:
a disability or pensioner premium included in your benefit
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 (ESA)
If you get Income-related ESA, you will usually receive Cold Weather Payments if you also have any of the following:
the support or work-related component of ESA
a severe or enhanced disability premium included in your benefit
a pensioner premium included in your benefit
a child who is disabled
Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
a child under five living with you
Pension Credit (pensions and retirement planning section)
Income Support
Jobseeker's Allowance
Employment and Support Allowance (disabled people section)
If you have a child under five living with you
If you are getting Income Support, income-based Jobseekers Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance you will need to tell Jobcentre Plus when:
you have had a baby
a child under five has come to live with you
If you don’t, you won’t automatically get any Cold Weather Payments that you may be due.
How to contact Jobcentre Plus (employment section)Opens new window
Who to contact at The Pension Service (pensions and retirement planning section)Opens new window
How much do you get?
You will get £25 for each seven day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March.
How to apply
You don't need to apply. If you can get a Cold Weather Payment, you’ll be paid it automatically.
How Cold Weather Payments are paid
Cold Weather Payments are paid automatically into the same bank or building society account as your benefit payments.
All benefits, pensions and allowances are paid into an account. This is the safest, most convenient and efficient method of payment.
How benefits and pensions are paid
When will I get my Cold Weather Payment?
Your Cold Weather Payment should be in your account within 14 working days after each period of very cold weather in your postcode area.
If you think you should have had a Cold Weather Payment
If you think you should have had a Cold Weather Payment but haven’t received one, use the Postcode Search to check if payments have been made for your postcode area.
If you still think you should have had a Cold Weather Payment, tell your pension centre or Jobcentre Plus.
Who to contact at The Pension Service (pensions and retirement planning section)
How to contact Jobcentre Plus (employment section)

[CleverClogs]

Re: Cold Weather Payments

From the Tory Party joke book:

Give an old person a Winter Fuel Payment and he will be warm for a few months.
Set an old person on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life.