The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has initiated Cold Weather Payments in close to 250 postcode regions across England and Wales today. This action follows the issuance of multiple winter weather alerts by the Met Office for the upcoming week. Around 500,000 households will qualify for these payments, receiving £25 each to assist with heating expenses.
The Cold Weather Payments have been activated in 246 postcode areas, including regions such as Greater Manchester, Cumbria, Staffordshire, Gloucestershire, and parts of Wales and Northern Ireland. This move is set to benefit a significant number of households, with approximately 532,000 homes expected to receive the payments.
These payments are aimed at individuals in England and Wales who are recipients of various benefits. While a similar program operates in Northern Ireland, Scotland provides support for heating bills annually rather than specifically during cold weather spells. The current winter season has seen £25 payments triggered for 697 postcode areas, with some areas receiving two payments due to prolonged cold conditions.
The eligibility criteria for Cold Weather Payments under the DWP scheme include receiving benefits such as Pension Credit, Income Support, JSA, ESA, Universal Credit, and Support for Mortgage Interest. Not all beneficiaries automatically qualify for these payments, as certain conditions must be met, detailed on the GOV.UK website.
The payments, amounting to £25, are directly deposited into recipients’ bank accounts within 14 working days, denoted by a payment reference including the National Insurance number followed by ‘DWP CWP’. No application process is required for these payments.
As temperatures are forecasted to drop below zero for seven consecutive days, triggering the payments, many areas are gearing up for colder weather heading into the New Year. With an estimated 3.9 million eligible individuals under the DWP scheme, including 1.2 million Pensions Credit recipients, the cost of today’s Cold Weather Payments alone is projected to reach £13.3 million.