Map shows where £35m Cold Weather Payments were handed out this winter (Image: Getty)
Cold Weather Payments were automatically triggered in a number of UK areas when sustained freezing temperatures put pressure on households to energy bills. This payment is given to low-income pensioners or families receiving certain benefits and is automatically paid when the temperature stays below freezing for seven days in a row. The scheme cost around £35million this year, a similar figure to the winter of 2024/25.
The scheme doesn’t end until March 31, so it could cost the DWP more if there are further cold snaps before then. February has been notably cold across much of the country, and a number of snow and wind warnings were issued at various times throughout the month. The Met Office previously warned of the possibility of snow in the coming days, with areas like the North of England hit the hardest.
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The Cold Weather Payment was triggered by freezing temperatures across the UK (Image: Getty)
The DWP saw its most expensive day for the Cold Weather Payment on January 7, when the Rostherne weather station in Cheshire recorded a seventh consecutive day of sub-zero temperatures.
The station covers more than 80 urban postcode areas in the southern parts of Greater Manchester and Cheshire. There were 241,000 households eligible for payments, which triggered a total payout of £6.02 million for this area alone.
The payments were also triggered by the Rochdale weather station, which covers 95,000 eligible households in the northern parts of Greater Manchester. This added a further £2.37 million to the bill.
Meanwhile, Morpeth weather station near Chester-le-Street recorded similar conditions for seven days in a row, with the DWP then sending £25 to 136,000 eligible households around Newcastle at a total cost of £3.4 million. See the map below for everywhere these payments were handed out this winter.
Additionally, £2.6 million was paid out to help households cover heating bills in Bradford and Leeds after similar conditions were recorded by Bingley in West Yorkshire.
While the largest payouts were in the North of England, there were also some in the Home Counties. For example, weather stations in Surrey, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire all recorded consistent temperatures beneath the threshold for Cold Weather Payments in January, along with others in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Dorset.
Odiham weather station in Hampshire triggered £25 Cold Weather Payments on January 1. This resulted in 80,000 households receiving the payment at a total cost of £2m.
The Cold Weather Payment is offered to households in England and Wales, while Northern Ireland and Scotland have their own separate systems.
Across England and Wales, there are an estimated 3.9 million people eligible for Cold Weather Payments under the DWP scheme. 1.2 million of them are in receipt of Pension Credit.
The DWP lists several benefits that, if you claim them, can mean you’re eligible for the Cold Weather Payment. They are:
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit
- Support for Mortgage Interest
However, there are a number of factors that determine this, which can be reviewed on the DWP’s website.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden, said: “This support is a lifeline for vulnerable households when temperatures plummet. Combined with our wider cost of living support – including a higher National Living Wage, £150 off energy bills, and a £300 Winter Fuel Payment for over nine million pensioners – these measures are making a real difference to households across the country.”