Overview
- The DWP pays £25 for each seven-day spell at 0C or below between November 1, 2025 and March 31, 2026, and multiple payments can be triggered over the season.
- Forecasts point to lows near -4C with snow in the affected regions, which could meet the trigger if freezing conditions persist.
- Payments are made automatically into bank accounts, typically within about 14 days, with Jobcentre Plus contact needed only after a birth or when a child under five moves in.
- Eligibility applies to claimants of specific benefits, including Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Universal Credit and Support for Mortgage Interest.
- Scotland has replaced Cold Weather Payments with a £59.75 Winter Heating Payment paid in batches, with most due by December 31 and processing continuing to the end of February after nearly 475,000 began receiving it in late November.