A £25 payment for each 7-day period of very cold weather if you get certain benefits.
Many people who are entitled to support never claim it. Check who qualifies, how much you could get and how to make your claim through the official channel.
The rules depend on where you live in the UK and on your household’s circumstances.
What Cold Weather Payment offers
- Automatic: You do not need to apply.
- Paid per cold spell: You can get several payments in one winter.
- Does not affect benefits: It does not reduce your other benefits.
- Postcode based: Payments are triggered by weather stations linked to your postcode.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who can get it | People getting Pension Credit, Universal Credit, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Income Support or Support for Mortgage Interest in some circumstances |
| How much | £25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027 |
| Trigger | Average temperature in your area recorded or forecast at 0°C or below for 7 days in a row |
| How it's paid | Automatically into the account your benefits are paid into |
| Where | England and Wales (Winter Heating Payment in Scotland) |
Key points
Automatic: You do not need to apply.
Paid per cold spell: You can get several payments in one winter.
Does not affect benefits: It does not reduce your other benefits.
About Department for Work and Pensions
Cold Weather Payment is run by Department for Work and Pensions. Claims are made free of charge through the official government channel.
We explain the rules independently and then send you to the official page to claim. We are not a government website.
Amounts and rules can change. The decision on your claim is made by Department for Work and Pensions.