Cold weather payment: How to apply for the Government support and who is eligible

Christmas is now in the past, meaning bank accounts are stretched through the long opening few weeks of the year and nights remain dark.

Most importantly for many, the weather remains cold, keeping heating on and bills high. However, the Government's Cold Weather Payments may be able to help some South Tyneside households.

What are Cold Weather Payments?

The payments are used as a way for the Government to support those in need while temperatures remain low. It is eligible to people on certain benefits or support for mortgage interest.

What temperatures are relevant for the Cold Weather payments?

The key number to remember is 0°C. If eligible residents live in an area where the average temperature is recorded as, or forecast to be, payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, 0°C or below over seven consecutive days.

Residents get £25 for each seven day period of very cold weather between November 2023 and Sunday, March 31 2024.

Who is eligible for Cold Weather Payments?

Residents may get Cold Weather Payments if they are getting:

• Pension Credit
• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Universal Credit
• Support for Mortgage Interest

Each of these support options have their own separate eligibility criteria, which can be found in full on the Government website.

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Do I need to apply for Cold Weather Payments?

No, all Cold Weather Payments are made automatically into the bank account of the recipient of the above support.

The Government also tells people to tell Jobcentre Plus if they get Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and:

• They have had a baby or
• A child under 5 has come to live with them

They will not automatically get Cold Weather Payments if they do not.

When will I get paid my Cold Weather Payment?

After each period of very cold weather in an area, all eligible people should get a payment within 14 working days.

It is paid into the same bank or building society account as regular benefit payments.

The Government website has an online search system for residents to check if their region is currently eligible. At the time of writing there are some parts of the North East eligible.