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Wed, 11 Nov 2026

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 What are cold weather payments and who can get them?

Some people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland can get help with heating costs during cold spells.

* Cold weather payments are available to households in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland when temperatures drop below 0C for seven consecutive days.
* In Scotland, a separate winter heating payment is made to those on low incomes and benefits, worth £62.
* To qualify for cold weather payments, you must live in one of the eligible areas and already receive certain benefits, including pension credit or universal credit.
* Payments are not age-related and will be made automatically into your bank account within two weeks of the qualifying period.
* Each payment is worth £25 and can be repeated if there are multiple periods of cold weather during the winter months (November to March).
* In Scotland, the winter heating payment is paid automatically between December and February.
* Cold weather payments do not affect other benefits and are separate from the winter fuel payment.