First cold weather payments rolled out in north of England as cold snap sets in

The first Cold Weather Payments of winter 2024/25 have been triggered across Cumbria, Northumberland and the Scottish Borders, as the first snowfall of the year blankets large areas of the UK.

Around 10,000 people living across the affected areas will now be eligible for £25 payments towards their heating bills from the DWP.

The Cold Weather Payments were triggered for twelve postcode areas in Cumbria, four in Northumberland, and two postcodes in the Scottish Borders which cross into England.

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It is estimated that around 10,000 people will receive the payment, the first areas to receive one this winter. It was triggered on November 17.

The twelve postcode areas in Cumbria to receive a payment include the Lakes, Kendal and Coniston, after freezing temperatures were recorded at the Shap weather centre.

Cold Weather Payments are made to people in England and Wales who receive a range of benefits. A separate scheme is operated in Northern Ireland along similar lines but in Scotland the support for heating bills is not linked to specific spells of cold weather.

The DWP says those claiming the following benefits may be eligible for the Cold Weather Payment; Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Universal Credit, Support for Mortgage Interest.

There are an estimated 3.9 million people eligible for Cold Weather Payments under the DWP scheme and of these 1.2 million are in receipt of Pensions Credit.

Not all those receiving these benefits will automatically receive a Cold Weather Payment. There are a number of factors which will determine whether a payment will be made and full details of those eligible are here: https://www.gov.uk/cold-weather-payment/eligibility

The payments are triggered if average temperatures in an area have been recorded at, or are forecast to be, below freezing for seven consecutive days.

Recipients are automatically paid £25 for each 7 day period of cold weather running across the winter period between 1 November 2024 and 31 March 2025.

Last year there were 364,000 payments made across England and Wales at a total cost of £9.1 million. In some areas of Cumbria, the Cold Weather Payments were triggered three times during separate spells of freezing weather last winter, meaning eligible recipients were paid £75 in total.

The full list of postcode areas where eligible people will receive a Cold Weather Payment of £25 is:

CA9 Leadgate, Cumbria

CA10 Cliburn, Cumbria

CA11 Catterlen, Cumbria

CA12 Keswick, Cumbria

CA16 Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria

CA17 Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria

LA8 Kendal, Cumbria

LA9 Kendal, Cumbria

LA10 Sedbergh, Cumbria

LA21 Coniston, Cumbria

LA22 Lakes, Cumbria

LA23 Windermere, Cumbria

NE19 Elsdon, Northumberland

NE47 Allendale, Northumberland

NE48 Bellingham, Northumberland

NE49 Haltwhistle, Northumberland

TD9 Scottish Borders (parts in England)

DG14 Dumfries border (parts in England)