COLD weather payments have been triggered in 10 more postcodes this weekend, with 451 areas now eligible for the £25 payouts.
It comes as a cold snap grips the UK, with several amber and yellow weather warnings for snow and ice issued across the country.
Cold weather payments are handed to low-income families for support with energy bills during long periods of freezing weather.
The scheme runs between November and March each year, and a postcode will be triggered if temperatures drop to 0C or less for seven days in a row.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed on Saturday that 10 more UK postcodes had been triggered.
The areas that were triggered on January 3 are as follows:
- LL20: Llangollen, Wales
- LL21: Corwen, Wales
- LL23: Gwynedd, Wales
- SY10: Oswestry, Shropshire
- SY15: Shrewsbury and surrounding areas
- SY16: Newtown, Wales and surrounding areas
- SY17: Caersws, Wales and surrounding areas
- SY19: Llanbrynmair, Wales
- SY21: Welshpool, Wales
- SY22: Llanfechain, Wales
You can find a full list of the postcodes that have already been triggered here.
Hundreds of thousands of households across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are now set to receive the money as freezing temperatures sweep the UK.
If you live in one of the affected areas you could see the £25 cash land in your bank account within days.
Payments are typically made within 14 working days of your postcode being activated.
If you’re eligible for cold weather payments, you will receive the cash automatically and you don’t need to apply.
Minister for Pensions Torsten Bell said: “As temperatures plunge, Cold Weather Payments will automatically get support directly to vulnerable households.
“Combined with the biggest ever Pension Credit take-up campaign and our Triple Lock commitment – set to increase the State Pension by up to £2,100 over this Parliament – we’re ensuring pensioners get the support they need this Winter.”
Who is eligible for cold weather payments?
Households in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are eligible for cold weather payments.
Households in Scotland aren’t but get a Winter Heating Payment instead. More information can be found at http://www.mygov.scot/winter-heating-payment.
You usually qualify for a cold weather payment once temperatures have dropped and if you’re on certain benefits. These are:
- Pension credit
- Income support
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA)
- Income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit
You can also get the payments if you receive support for mortgage interest.
However, depending on each benefit, there are other criteria you might have to fulfil to be eligible.
For example, if you’re on Universal Credit you will only qualify if you are unemployed or “gainfully self-employed”, or your partner is unemployed or “gainfully self-employed”.
You are considered gainfully self-employed if you work regularly and expect to make a profit.
One of the following must also apply:
- You or your partner have a health condition or disability and have limited capability for work (with or without work-related activity)
- You have a child under five living with you
You are also eligible if you have a disabled child amount included in your Universal Credit claim.
There are also other eligibility criteria attached if you claim Income Support and income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA), income-related employment and support allowance (ESA) or get support for mortgage interest (SMI).
If you have a baby or a child under five living with you, you will need to tell your local Jobcentre Plus.
You’ll also need to let them know if you get income support, JSA or ESA.
You won’t get cold weather payments automatically if you don’t.
Find out more by visiting gov.uk/cold-weather-payment.
