Since the temperatures plummeted, the DWP will be issuing people across 18 postcodes a £25 Cold Weather Payment to help towards their heating bills
As temperatures drop and snowfall covers parts of the country, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has activated its Cold Weather Payments scheme for 18 postcode areas across the UK. Approximately 10,000 residents in these areas will receive a £25 payment to help cover their heating costs.
The DWP’s Cold Weather Payment scheme runs from November to March, providing eligible households with a one-off £25 payment each time the temperature falls below 0C for seven consecutive days. To qualify, households must be receiving certain benefits from the DWP.
Payments are automatically sent to eligible households in each postcode area if the temperature is recorded or forecasted to be below zero for seven days in a row. Most of the eligible postcodes are in Cumbria, which experienced freezing temperatures triggering the payment on 17 November.
According to the DWP, those claiming Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Universal Credit, Support for Mortgage Interest may be eligible for the Cold Weather Payment. However, not everyone receiving these benefits will automatically get a Cold Weather Payment.
Various factors determine whether a payment will be made, and full details of eligibility can be found on the government website. Under the DWP scheme, approximately 3.9 million people are eligible for Cold Weather Payments, with 1.2 million of these being Pensions Credit recipients. Last year, a total of £9.1 million was spent on 364,000 payments across England and Wales.
Last winter, in certain parts of Cumbria, the Cold Weather Payments were activated three times during separate periods of freezing weather, resulting in eligible recipients receiving a total of £75.
Below shows the full list of postcodes receiving the DWP Cold Weather Payment:
- CA9 Leadgate, Cumbria
- CA10 Cliburn, Cumbria
- CA11 Catterlen, Cumbria
- CA12 Keswick, Cumbria
- CA16 Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria
- CA17 Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria
- LA8 Kendal, Cumbria
- LA9 Kendal, Cumbria
- LA10 Sedbergh, Cumbria
- LA21 Coniston, Cumbria
- LA22 Lakes, Cumbria
- LA23 Windermere, Cumbria
- NE19 Elsdon, Northumberland
- NE47 Allendale, Northumberland
- NE48 Bellingham, Northumberland
- NE49 Haltwhistle, Northumberland
- TD9 Scottish Borders (parts in England)
- DG14 Dumfries border (parts in England)