As energy bills rise, it can be a worrying time as many households try to think about how they can afford to pay to heat their homes.
At the beginning of the year, YouGov released data that found more than one-third of Britons can't afford to heat their houses to a comfortable level. The same survey found that nearly half of individuals from very low-income households can't afford to heat their homes properly during cold weather.
The government operates a scheme called Cold Weather Payments to combat the growing issue. If eligible, the scheme could help you to heat your home during the coldest months of the year.
This guide will walk you through the Cold Weather Scheme, including whether you are eligible for it and how much you could receive. We'll also look at similar schemes, such as the Warm Home Discount and Winter Fuel Payments and explore the similarities and differences between them and the Cold Weather Scheme.
The Cold Weather Payment scheme is designed to help individuals who are given certain benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest. Payments are distributed to qualifying individuals if the average temperature in the local area is forecast or recorded as zero degrees celsius or below over the course of a week (seven days).
If you live in Scotland, you may be eligible for Winter Heating Payment (WHP) instead. The WHP will be paid regardless of the weather conditions in your local area.
The purpose of the winter fuel allowance is to help low-income households pay for their heating during periods of cold weather. It encourages people to heat their homes without worrying about the cost and having to choose between heating and other essentials. This can help reduce illness, which is common in winter, as the human body is less adept at fighting viruses if conditions are particularly cold.
If you are eligible for the payment and the temperature in your local area hits below zero degrees Celsius for seven days in a row, you will be given £25 per week. However, you will only be given this payment in eligible conditions between 1 November and 31 March.
The Cold Weather Payment will be made within 14 working days of the qualifying week and will be paid into the same bank or building society account that your benefits are paid into. The Cold Weather Payment won't affect your other benefits.
The Cold Weather Payment Scheme is designed to help individuals who are on benefits and may struggle to pay for their heating during the winter months. Below is a breakdown of the different types of benefits that would make you eligible for the Cold Weather Scheme if you claim them.
Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance
You can't make a new claim for Income Support, but you can continue claiming it if already receive this benefit. To be eligible for Cold Weather Payment, you must receive Income Support and/or Jobseeker's Allowance and have at least one of the following:
- a child with a disability
- a child below the age of five (who lives with you)
- a disability or pensioner premium
- Child Tax Credit (featuring a disability element)
Pension Credit
Pension Credit is designed for individuals over State Pension age and earning a low income. If you are eligible for this benefit, you will usually be eligible for Cold Weather Payments too.
Universal Credit
This type of benefit was introduced as a way to replace individual benefits such as Child Tax Credit and Housing Benefit. You will usually be eligible for Cold Weather Payments if you receive Universal Credit and aren't employed or self-employed.
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is a benefit paid to individuals who struggle with the hours that they can work because of a health condition or disability. You can apply if you are employed, self-employed or are currently out of work. The allowance is meant to help with the cost of living and the support to return to work when you are able.
If you receive an income-related ESA and are part of a work-related activity group or support group, you will usually be eligible for Cold Weather Payment too. You may also be eligible for the Cold Weather Payment scheme if you aren't part of either group but have one or more of the following:
- a severe or enhanced disability premium
- a pensioner premium
- a child with a disability
- Child Tax Credit ( featuring a disability element)
- a child under the age of five years old (living with you)
Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI)
Homeowners may be able to get help on their mortgage interest repayments if they are already claiming other benefits, such as Income Support or Universal Credit. Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) can also help if you pay interest on a loan that you took out for home improvements or maintenance and claim other benefits.
You will usually be eligible for Cold Weather Payments if you receive Support for Mortgage Interest in addition to having one of the following:
- a severe or enhanced disability premium
- a pensioner premium
- a child with a disability
- Child Tax Credit ( featuring a disability element)
- a child under the age of five years old (living with you)
You don't need to apply for the Cold Weather Payments Scheme if you are claiming one or more of the previously mentioned benefits. You will automatically receive the payment within 14 days once the temperature in your local area reaches qualifying levels.
You can check if your area has hit the temperature threshold for the cold weather payment by visiting the government website. After entering your postcode, you will be able to see how many, if any, payments you may be eligible to receive since 1 November.
If you have a child under five years old living with you and you receive any of the following, you will need to notify Jobcentre Plus to receive Cold Weather Payments:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
If you haven't received Cold Weather Payments, but you think you should have, you need to contact Jobcentre Plus or the Pension Service. You should also log into your Universal Credit account (if you have one), add a note to your journal, or phone the Universal Credit helpline. The number to contact will be listed on any correspondence you have sent about your Universal Credit claim.
What is the difference between Cold Weather Payments and Winter Fuel Payments?
The Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) is a scheme that helps individuals born before 26 September 1956. Unlike the Cold Weather Scheme, you can receive the WFP even if you are not claiming benefits. The two benefits don't affect each other, which means that you can receive both if you are eligible.
You are also eligible for the payment if you are in a care home, although you won't be eligible if you are claiming other benefits or you lived in a care home full-time between 27 June to 25 September 2022.
Depending on your situation, you could be paid between £250 and £600 to help pay for your heating bills. The payment will also include a Pensioner Cost of Living Payment, which is between £150 and £300. However, the extra payment will only be paid during Winter 2022 and not Winter 2023.
You will be paid £500 if you were born between 26 September 1942 and 25 September 1956 or £600 if you were born before 26 September 1942 and currently live alone or with another person who isn't eligible for the payment. If you don't receive any benefits, you will be paid the following amounts based on your circumstances:
- £250 if you and the person you live with were both born between 26 September 1942 and 25 September 1956
- £350 if you were born before 26 September 1942 and the person you live with was born between 26 September 1942 and 25 September 1956
- £300 if you and the person you live with were both born before 26 September 1942
The amount you can get paid may be different if you or the person you live with claims other types of benefits. More information about the Winter Fuel Payments you may be eligible to receive can be found on the government website.
As with the Cold Weather Payment, you will automatically receive the Winter Fuel Payments if you are eligible and receive another benefit. However, you will need to sign up for the payment scheme if you don't receive another type of benefit and haven't received the Winter Fuel Payment before or have deferred your State Pension since you received the last Winter Fuel Payment.
What is the Warm Home Discount?
The government is operating a scheme from Winter 2022 to 2023 to help individuals cover their electricity bills. However, unlike the Cold Weather Payment Scheme and the Winter Fuel Payments, the money is paid directly to your electricity bill. You are eligible for a £150 discount on your electricity bill if you get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, are on a low income and have to pay high electricity costs or receive certain benefits.
You are eligible for the discount if you pre-pay your electricity bill or via pay-as-you-go. The one-off payment can be paid towards your electricity bill between October 2022 and March 2023. You should receive a letter that tells you if you are eligible for the payment. The notice could arrive anytime between November 2022 and January 2023. Most households will automatically receive the discount.
If you haven't received a letter about the discount by mid-January 2023 and you think you qualify, you can call the helpline on 0800 107 8002 or send a letter to the following address:
110552 Warm Home Discount Scheme
PO Box 26965
Glasgow
G1 9BW
Will I receive the Cold Weather Payment if I am in the hospital?
You will need to notify the Pension Scheme or Jobcentre Plus if you are staying in the hospital for an extended length of time, as it could affect how much you receive. If you are paid Universal Credit, you should log into your account and make a note of your hospital stay in your online journal. You can also phone the Universal Credit helpline using the contact number that is found on your Universal Credit letters.
As part of the government's scheme to help vulnerable people pay for heating during very cold weather, they provide Cold Weather Payments during qualifying weeks in the year. Between 1 November and 31 March, you can get paid £25 per week if the average temperature in your local area is consistently below zero degrees Celsius for seven days in a row.
To get the Cold Weather Payment, you must receive other benefit payments, such as Pension Credit, Income Support or Universal Credit, or receive Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI). This is different to Winter Fuel Payments, which are paid to eligible pensioners whether they receive benefits or not. If you are eligible, you can receive both Cold Weather and Winter Fuel payments alongside each other as they are part of different schemes.