Cold Weather Payments: First Payments of Winter 2025/26 Triggered as Temperatures Plummet

Understanding Cold Weather Payments

The Cold Weather Payment scheme runs from 1 November 2025 to 31 March 2026, providing vital financial support to vulnerable households during periods of severe cold. You’ll get £25.00 for each seven-day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March, helping low-income families and pensioners cope with increased heating costs during Britain’s coldest months.

The Department for Work and Pensions triggered its first Cold Weather Payments of the winter season yesterday, with 18 postcode districts across northern England now qualifying for the £25 support. Areas in Cumbria, Northumberland, and the Scottish Borders (which include parts of England), affecting a total of 6,000 households, have been triggered today.

How the Scheme Works

You’ll get a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days. The system is entirely automatic—You do not need to apply. You do not need to do anything to get a Cold Weather Payment. After each period of very cold weather in your area, you should get a payment within 14 working days. It’s paid into the same bank or building society account as your benefit payments.

Who Qualifies for Support

To qualify for the Cold Weather Payment, recipients must be receiving qualifying benefits, such as Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit, or Support for Mortgage Interest. Additional criteria apply depending on which benefit you receive. For example, You’ll usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get Universal Credit, and none of the adults on your claim are employed or self-employed. One of the following must also apply: you have a health condition or disability and have limited capability for work or have a child under five.

Current Weather Conditions and Government Response

As Arctic conditions sweep across Britain, Minister for Pensions Torsten Bell said: “As temperatures plunge, Cold Weather Payments will automatically get support directly to vulnerable households.” About 4.4 million people in England and Wales are eligible for them, representing a significant safety net during winter’s harshest months.

Government data shows that 1.39 million payments were made between November 2024 and March 2025 last winter, demonstrating the scheme’s widespread impact. Cold Weather Payments do not affect your other benefits, ensuring that vulnerable households receive every penny of support they’re entitled to without penalty.

Checking Your Eligibility

Residents can verify whether their area qualifies by using the official postcode checker tools available on GOV.UK for England and Wales, or nidirect for Northern Ireland. With temperatures expected to remain below freezing throughout early January 2026, more payments are likely to be triggered in the coming weeks, providing crucial financial relief when households need it most.