New DWP bonus payments 'triggered' and will land in bank accounts next week

A major Cold Weather Payments update has been issued - as 10,000 homes in 18 postcodes are eligible for cash. UK households affected by cold weather in the UK are entitled to special payments, the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) has confirmed.

The Cold Weather Payments scheme entitles eligible households to £25 for every seven consecutive days their area experiences zero degrees Celsius or below. The scheme came into force three weeks ago, on November 1, and will last until March.

Postcodes have already been affected, and 10,000 households are due the DWP payment. It can take up to two weeks for the payment to land in your account, which should be automatic, the DWP website goes on to explain.

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If you’re eligible, you will get these payments automatically. They should arrive in the same bank account you receive benefit payments, within 14 working days of the cold period. If you believe you are eligible but have not received the payments, you should contact the DWP.

You are eligible for the payment if you receive any of the following:

• Pension Credit

• Income Support

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

• Universal Credit

• Support for Mortgage Interest

You must also live in an area that has experienced seven days of zero or sub-zero temperatures. If you want to check if your postcode is in a qualifying area, the government has a handy tool. The DWP uses their own equipment to measure temperatures across all UK postcodes. If you disagree with their judgement, it is possible to appeal directly to the department.

The DWP states: "You may be eligible for Cold Weather Payments if you get certain benefits. You must meet the eligibility criteria to get Cold Weather Payments. If you are eligible you'll get £25 for each 7 day period that the average temperature in your area is recorded as or forecast to be zero degrees Celsius or below. The Cold Weather Payment scheme runs from 1 November to 31 March."