DWP £25 Cold Weather Payment alert as first postcodes could be triggered

UK households have been put on alert for Cold Weather Payments as the first postcodes could be triggered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It follows as the UK faces its first snow warnings of winter from the Met Office.

A Cold Weather Payment is £25 a week for each seven-day period – or forecasted seven-day period – of cold weather. This only applies between November 1 and March 31 each year.

To be eligible for Cold Weather Payments the average temperature in your area needs to have been, or be forecasted to be, 0˚C or less for seven days in a row. You can't receive Cold Weather Payments if you live in a care home, reports BirminghamLive.

Read more: Key DWP money updates and payments as households could get up to £475

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Those who are eligible for a Cold Weather Payment will be paid automatically after each seven-day period of cold weather. You should receive your payment within 14 working days. If you think you should've received a Cold Weather Payment but didn't, contact your pension centre or Jobcentre Plus office and if you receive Universal Credit, contact the Universal Credit helpline.

You could be entitled to a Cold Weather Payment if you're getting Pension Credit or Income Support (if you have any of the following: disability or pensioner premium, a child who is disabled, Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element or a child under five living with you).

Other benefits included are:

• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (if you have any of the following: disability or pensioner premium, a child who is disabled, Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element or a child under five living with you)

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (if you have any of the following: severe or enhanced disability premium, a pensioner premium, a child who is disabled, Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element or a child under five living with you).

• Universal Credit (if you're not employed or "gainfully" self-employed, your partner is not employed or "gainfully" self-employed - you or your must also have a health condition or disability and have limited capability for work, or have a child under five living with you) is another eligible benefit.

• Support for Mortgage Interest (if you have any of the following: severe or enhanced disability premium, a pensioner premium, a child who is disabled, Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element or a child under five living with you).