DWP £50 Cold Weather Payments issued to thousands - see if you qualify
Thousands of people in England are eligible for Cold Weather Payments this winter. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that 10,000 people could receive £50 payments during the ongoing cold snap.
The DWP has issued alerts for 18 postcode areas following freezing temperatures, with the most recent announcement made on Thursday, January 2. Money is automatically sent to residents when temperatures are forecast to remain below zero degrees for seven consecutive days in their area.
The winter support scheme is open to those receiving Pension Credit, Income Support, Universal Credit and various other qualifying benefits. Those who meet the criteria will get help with heating costs during particularly cold spells.
READ MORE: Cold weather health alert extended for Leicestershire as temperatures set to plunge
Some areas have now received two separate £25 instalments this winter, totalling £50 per household. The first amount was triggered during November's cold spell, with a second payment activated last Thursday (January 2).
You can check payments for your postcode area on our interactive map here:
The DWP scheme runs until Monday, March 31, with support triggered automatically during qualifying cold periods. Last year, 364,000 households across England and Wales received help, totalling £9.1 million in support.
An estimated 3.9 million people could qualify nationally, including 1.2 million Pension Credit recipients. However, not all benefit recipients will automatically receive money, with full details of eligibility factors available on the gov.uk website.
Have you been struggling with heating costs? Get in touch by emailing dylan.hayward@reachplc.com
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