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You are here - Home > Help with Health Costs and Money Issues > Cold Weather Payment
A Guide to the 2013 to 2014 Cold Weather
Payment providing those on low income with help towards heating
costs during periods of very cold weather. The eligibiliy criteria
for this payment may change for 2013/14 because of the effect and
change in the benefits and allowances being introduced under the
new welfare reforms from April 2013. This will be mainly due to
the introduction of Universal
Credit and the Personal
Independence Payment.
see also: Winter Fuel Payment
Introduction
You don't need to apply - if you can get a Cold Weather Payment, you’ll be paid it automatically
Cold Weather Payments help people, who get certain income-related benefits, with their increased heating costs caused by periods of very cold weather during winter.
A period of very cold weather is when the temperature is either:
• recorded as an average of zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days in a row
• forecast to be an average zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days in a row
Who is eligible?
When there has been a period of very cold weather during the winter, you can get a Cold Weather Payment if you receive one of the following benefits:
• Pension Credit
• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Pension Credit
If you get Pension Credit, you will usually receive Cold Weather Payments.
Income Support and income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
If you receive Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, you will get Cold Weather Payments if you also have any of the following:
• a disability or pensioner premium included in your benefit
• a child who is disabled
• Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
• a child under five living with you
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
If you get Income-related ESA, you will usually receive Cold Weather Payments if you also have any of the following:
• the support or work-related component of ESA
• a severe or enhanced disability premium included in your benefit
• a pensioner premium included in your benefit
• a child who is disabled
• Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
• a child under five living with you
How much do you get?
This year you will get £25 when the average temperature where you live is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees
Celsius or below over seven consecutive days during the period from 1 November to 31 March. Specified Meteorological
Office weather stations are used to obtain this information.
Effect on other benefits
Cold Weather Payments will not affect other benefits you may be getting.
How to apply
You don't need to apply; you'll get a Cold Weather Payment automatically as long as you qualify.
Tell your pension centre or Jobcentre Plus if you think you should have received a Cold Weather Payment but you have not had one.
Who to contact at The Pension Service
The Pension Service provides a wide range of information about the State Pension, Pension Credit, Winter Fuel Payment and
related benefits. See below to find your Pension Centre.
Your pension centre
In England, Scotland and Wales, your pension centre can answer frequently asked questions about:
- making State Pension claims
- making Pension Credit claims
- existing State Pension or Pension Credit claims
Find your pension centre
If you live in Northern Ireland, queries can be addressed to the Department for Social Development.
Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland
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