What is the cold weather payment? Who is eligible and how much you could get?

The UK is set for a big chill in the coming days as temperatures plummet across the country and the UK Health and Security Agency has issued a cold weather alert.

Cold Arctic air will move in from Wednesday evening so people’s heating bills are likely to rise. The Government is offering cold weather payments to some households, which could help thousands of people but what is it and who is eligible?

What is the cold weather payment?

The government benefit top-up of cold weather payments is to help those struggling with fuel bills during exceptionally cold weather.

According to Gov.uk, a payment is issued when the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below that over seven consecutive days.

The payment is £25 for each seven-day period during November 1 and March 31.

Who is eligible for cold weather payments?

The scheme is not age-related but to qualify you must be eligible for one of the five benefits including:

• Income support

• Pension credit

• Income-based jobseeker’s allowance

• Income-related employment and support allowance

• Universal credit – although there are certain exceptions.

You may also get a cold weather payment if you’re getting certain benefits or support for mortgage interest.

Universal credit for cold weather payments

You’ll usually get cold weather payments if you get universal credit and you’re not employed or self-employed with one of the following applying to you:

• You have a health condition or disability and have limited capability for work (with or without work-related activity)

• You have a child under five living with you.

You’ll also be eligible if you have a disabled child amount in your claim, whether you’re employed or not.

How do you receive your cold weather payments?

Fortunately, there is nothing you need to do as the system already knows who is eligible and payments arrive automatically.

As a period of cold weather descends, an automatic payment is triggered and paid into the same bank or building society account as the benefit payments.

These payment do not affect other benefits.