Cold Weather Payment

This payment is made automatically to anyone receiving certain qualifying benefits (see below) if the temperature at specified weather stations is recorded as, or forecast to be, an average zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days between 1 November and 31 March.

Currently worth £25.00 for each period of cold weather, it is different from the Winter Fuel Payments that are paid to pensioners (see chapter 5).

To qualify you must be in receipt of:

• Pension Credit;

• Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and have: a disability or pensioner premium; a child who is disabled; Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element; or a child under five living with you; or

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and have: the support or work-related component of ESA; 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; or a child under five living with you.