| The short answer What it is: a £25 payment for each seven-day period of very cold weather in your area, paid automatically to people on certain benefits.When: the 2026 to 2027 scheme runs from Sunday 1 November 2026 to Wednesday 31 March 2027.The trigger: the average temperature at the weather station linked to your postcode must be recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees or below for seven days in a row.Who gets it: people on Pension Credit, and some people on Universal Credit, income-related ESA or Support for Mortgage Interest.Payment: within 14 working days of a cold spell, into the account your benefit is paid into. You do not need to apply.Where: England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland has a different scheme. |
Cold Weather Payments return on 1 November, and for households on the right benefits they are one of the few pieces of winter help that arrive without any form to fill in. But the rules are stricter than many people expect — especially on Universal Credit, where being on the benefit is not enough on its own. This guide explains who qualifies, how a payment is triggered, how to check whether your area is due one, and what to do if a payment does not arrive.
What is the Cold Weather Payment?
How much is a Cold Weather Payment? £25 for each qualifying seven-day period of very cold weather between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027. The amount has been unchanged for many years. Payments are tax-free and do not affect any of your other benefits.
The scheme is run by the Department for Work and Pensions in England and Wales, and by the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland, with its own nidirect postcode checker. In Scotland, Cold Weather Payments were replaced by the Winter Heating Payment, a single annual payment from Social Security Scotland that does not depend on the weather; check mygov.scot for details.
How is a Cold Weather Payment triggered?
Every postcode is linked to a nearby weather station. A payment is triggered for that postcode when the average temperature at the station is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days. The “average” is the key word: a week of frosty nights with milder afternoons will often not be enough, because the average across the whole day has to stay at or below freezing.
Because payments can be triggered by a forecast as well as by recorded temperatures, you may be paid for a cold spell that is predicted but turns out milder than expected. And because every postcode is matched to a particular weather station, two neighbouring towns can have different results, particularly in hilly or rural areas.
| How many payments could you get? The 2026 to 2027 scheme runs for 151 days — about 21 and a half weeks. In theory that allows many payments, but in practice most areas of England and Wales get none or only a handful in a typical winter. Payments cluster in prolonged freezes, and in upland and rural areas linked to colder weather stations. Treat Cold Weather Payments as a useful extra in a hard winter, not as income you can count on. |
Who is eligible for Cold Weather Payments in 2026?
You may get Cold Weather Payments if you receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Support for Mortgage Interest. But each benefit has its own conditions:
| Benefit | Will you usually get Cold Weather Payments? |
| Pension Credit | Yes — Pension Credit on its own is normally enough. |
| Universal Credit | Usually only if no one on the claim is employed or gainfully self-employed and you have limited capability for work or a child under five. If your claim includes a disabled child amount, you can qualify even if you work. |
| Income-related ESA | Usually if you are in the work-related activity or support group, or receive certain disability or pensioner premiums, or have a child under five or a disabled child. |
| Support for Mortgage Interest | Only in specific circumstances where you are treated as receiving a qualifying benefit — check GOV.UK. |
Summary of the GOV.UK eligibility rules. The full conditions include further detail on premiums and household circumstances.
Why many Universal Credit claimants do not get it
Universal Credit has the strictest rules of all the qualifying benefits. Being on Universal Credit is not enough. In most cases no adult on the claim can be in work or gainfully self-employed, and the household must also include someone with limited capability for work or a child under five. The exception is a claim that includes a disabled child amount, which qualifies whether or not you work. A working family on Universal Credit without a disabled child will not usually qualify, and neither will a single jobseeker with no children.
The rule surprises a lot of people, so it is worth checking before you assume a payment is missing. If your circumstances changed recently — for example, a new baby, a work capability decision, or a change in your partner’s job — make sure Universal Credit has been told, because your eligibility is based on the information on your claim.
Pension Credit: the key that unlocks it
For older people, Pension Credit is by far the simplest route to Cold Weather Payments, and it also unlocks other help, including the Warm Home Discount and, for those aged 75 and over, a free TV licence. Many pensioners who are entitled to Pension Credit do not claim it. If your weekly income is low, it is worth checking your entitlement on GOV.UK or with a charity such as Age UK — a successful claim can also be backdated by up to three months.
How to check if your area is due a payment
The DWP Cold Weather Payment postcode checker shows whether a payment has been triggered for your area. It says the 2026 to 2027 scheme is due to start on 1 November, and that you will be able to check from November.
- Go to the Cold Weather Payment checker on GOV.UK (England and Wales) or nidirect (Northern Ireland).
- Enter your postcode.
- The checker tells you whether a payment has been triggered for your area and for which dates.
A triggered payment only reaches you if you are also eligible through one of the qualifying benefits. The checker shows whether your area qualifies, not whether you personally do.
When and how is the money paid?
You do not need to apply. If you are eligible, the money is paid automatically into the bank account where you receive your benefit, normally within 14 working days of the cold spell. Each qualifying period is a separate payment, so a long freeze can produce more than one £25 payment.
If a payment does not arrive
First, use the postcode checker to confirm that a payment was triggered for your area. If it was, and 14 working days have passed:
- Pension Credit: contact the Pension Service.
- Universal Credit: write in your online journal, or call the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.
- Income-related ESA: contact Jobcentre Plus.
- Northern Ireland: follow the contact details on nidirect.
Cold Weather Payment, Winter Fuel Payment and other winter help
Cold Weather Payments are easily confused with the Winter Fuel Payment, but they are separate schemes and you can get both:
| Cold Weather Payment | Winter Fuel Payment | |
| Who | People on certain benefits | Everyone born on or before 27 June 1960 |
| Amount | £25 per cold spell | £100 to £300 a year |
| When | Within 14 working days of a cold spell, November to March | November or December |
| Depends on weather? | Yes | No |
| Recovered from higher earners? | No | Yes — HMRC takes it back if your income is over £35,000 |
Other help this winter includes the Warm Home Discount, currently worth £150 off electricity bills for eligible households, your energy supplier’s hardship schemes, and crisis support from your local council. Charities such as Citizens Advice and Age UK can check what you are entitled to.
Staying safe in a cold snap
A Cold Weather Payment is a sign that temperatures in your area are dangerously low, especially for older people, young children and anyone with a long-term health condition. The NHS advises heating rooms you use most to at least 18 degrees, wearing several thin layers, keeping active where possible, having hot food and drinks, and checking on neighbours and relatives who may be vulnerable. Keep an eye on Met Office cold weather alerts during the winter.
Cold Weather Payment 2026: your questions answered
When do Cold Weather Payments start in 2026? The scheme runs from 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027.
How much is the Cold Weather Payment? £25 for each seven-day period of very cold weather.
Do I need to apply? No. If you are eligible, it is paid automatically.
Do I get Cold Weather Payments on Universal Credit? Usually only if no one on your claim works and you have limited capability for work or a child under five — or at any time if your claim includes a disabled child amount.
Do I get Cold Weather Payments in Scotland? No. Scotland has a separate Winter Heating Payment instead.
Does the Cold Weather Payment affect my other benefits? No.