DWP payment millions of benefit claimants will get to help over cold winter months

-Credit: (Image: Manchester Evening News)
-Credit: (Image: Manchester Evening News)


The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) is expected to pay out millions of pounds to people on certain benefits to help pay for heating this year.

The government has decided to make major changes to eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment this year, cutting the benefit for millions of pensioners. But the department will still pay cash to people on certain benefits when the cold weather hits.

The Labour government plans to reduce the number of people eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, worth up to £300, by means-testing the benefit. Last winter, all pensioners were entitled to the one-off payment, which usually lands in bank accounts from November. However, this winter, the DWP will only pay the money to pensioners if they are claiming Pension Credit, or certain other benefits.

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The government said the move will save around £1.5 billion a year and help to address the "black hole" in public finances but charities have warned it will plunge some further into poverty. Age UK's charity director Caroline Abrahams said it will "make millions of poor pensioners poorer still".

But the Winter Fuel Payment is not the only support offered to vulnerable pensioners during the colder winter months. Between November 1 and March 31, the DWP will pay a £25 payment to certain households each time the temperatures drops below zero for seven consecutive days. This is known as a Cold Weather Payment.

Cold Weather Payments are based on your postcode area and are paid automatically to those eligible for them. People who claim Pension Credit and Universal Credit are among those who may be eligible.

Who gets Cold Weather Payments?

You may be eligible for Cold Weather Payments if you claim one of the following benefits:

  • Pension Credit

  • Income Support or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) - you also need to have one of the following: a 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 (ESA) - you also need to be in a work-related activity group or support group, or have one of the following: a 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 - you also need to be unemployed and either have a disability or a child under five living with you

  • Support for Mortgage Interest

Full eligibility criteria is available on the government website here.

Claimants in Scotland are not eligible for Cold Weather Payments but they may get an annual Winter Heating payment.

When and how are Cold Weather Payments made?

If you’re eligible to get Cold Weather Payments, you’ll get £25 for each seven day period of very cold weather - where it is recorded or forecast to be zero or below - between November 1 and March 31.

You’ll be paid automatically into the same bank account you get your benefit payments paid into. You should get a payment within 14 working days of when the payment is triggered.

The gov.uk website has a Cold Weather Payment postcode checker, which will tell you how many payments have been triggered in your postcode area.