Jessica Sheldon
Temperatures are dropping and some households may now be eligible for Cold Weather Payments to cope with rising costs.
The £25 payment from the government are designed to help low-income and vulnerable households pay for energy bills when temperatures drop to zero or below freezing for seven consecutive days
That will be particularly useful after the energy price cap rose by 2% October 2025, taking the typical average annual bill to £1,755
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The payment is separate to the Winter Fuel Payment. If you’re claiming Pension Credit, you’ll be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment – but whether you receive one depends on the temperature where you live.
Who is eligible for a Cold Weather Payment?
Cold Weather Payments are a government benefit. The money is intended to help with gas and electricity bills during times of extremely cold weather.
About 4.1 million people are eligible for them. DWP data shows 1.39 million payments were made between November 2024 and March 2025 last winter.
There were 33 "cold weather triggers," three of them in November when 6,000 payments were made, while 30 happened in January, resulting in 1,391,000 payments.
There were no triggers in February or March 2025.
To qualify for the Cold Weather Payment, you must be getting one of these benefits:
- Pension Credit
- Income support
- Income-based jobseekers' allowance
- Income-related employment and support allowance
- Universal Credit
- Support for Mortgage Interest
There are extra criteria that you must meet depending on which benefits you get. For example, if you’re receiving Universal Credit, you and your partner must not be employed or self-employed, and you must either have a health condition or disability and have limited capability for work, or have a child under five living with you.
If you get Pension Credit, you’ll usually get Cold Weather Payments. More than a quarter of people eligible for the payments receive Pension Credit (almost 1.2 million people).
How to check if a Cold Weather Payment is due
If you live in England or Wales, have a look at the online postcode checker to see which areas are currently eligible for Cold Weather Payments.
If you live in Northern Ireland, check on NIDirect to see if your postcode is in an area due to receive a £25 payment.
The system is different in Scotland; those on low incomes and benefits may instead receive the winter heating payment, worth £58.75, which is a single payment that's not based on weather conditions.
How much is the Cold Weather Payment?
Each Cold Weather Payment is paid for a seven-day period and is worth £25. It’s possible you may receive several during a particularly cold winter.
The current scheme covers the period between 1 November 2025 and 31 March 2026.
There haven’t been any triggers since the start of November yet.
How do I claim a Cold Weather Payment?
The payments are automatic, so if you are eligible you do not need to apply.
You’ll get the payment within 14 working days into the bank or building society account that you receive your benefit payments.
“I think I should have got a cold weather payment, but I haven't received anything”
If payments have been triggered in your area (you can use the postcode checker on gov.uk) and you believe you meet the eligibility criteria, but you haven’t received a payment yet, contact the Pension Service or Jobcentre Plus.
“I don't qualify for cold weather payments. What other energy bills help is available?”
Many households are feeling the pinch with their energy bills. The Ofgem energy price cap, which dictates what customers on variable tariffs pay, rose 1% on New Year’s Day and will jump by a bigger-than-expected 6% on April Fool’s Day.
If you’re struggling, check that you are claiming all the benefits you’re entitled to. Millions of pounds of government money goes unclaimed every year.
For example, if you successfully apply for Pension Credit, you’ll be eligible for Cold Weather Payments as well as other benefits like Winter Fuel Payment and help with NHS costs.
If you’re struggling with your energy bills, check if your energy supplier offers support. For example, it may offer grants, a reduction in your bill, or more time to pay.
We cover whether to change from a variable rate in our guide: “Should you switch to a fixed energy tariff?”
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