Cold Weather Payment

If you're receiving certain benefits, you could qualify for extra money for each week there is very cold weather in your area. This is known as a Cold Weather Payment.

What is meant by a period of cold weather?

A period of cold weather is determined by the Met Office and is defined as:

when the average daily temperature over seven consecutive days is recorded as 0°C or below, or
when the average daily temperature over seven consecutive days is forecasted to be 0°C or below

This information is gathered by weather stations situated throughout Northern Ireland.

How much is a Cold Weather Payment?

£25 is paid for each seven consecutive day period of very cold weather that occurs from 1 November until 31March, both dates included.

Who can get Cold Weather Payments?

If you are in receipt of Pension Credit, Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance (Income-based ) or Employment and Support Allowance (Income related), you could qualify for a Cold Weather Payment.

A recorded or forecasted period of cold weather will trigger the process that allows payment to be made to eligible customers who live in the affected postcode areas.

Pension Credit

If you get Pension Credit, you will usually receive Cold Weather Payments.

Understanding Pension Credit

Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based)

If you get Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based), you will usually receive Cold Weather Payments if you also have any of following:

a disability or pensioner premium
a child who is disabled
Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
a child under five living with you
Premiums for people with disabilities (people with disabilities section)
Jobseeker's allowance (money, tax and benefits section)
Income support (money, tax and benefits section)

Employment and Support Allowance (Income-related)

If you get ESA (Income related), you will usually receive Cold Weather Payments if you also have any of the following:

the support or work-related component of ESA
a severe or enhanced disability premium
a pensioner premium
a child who is disabled
Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
a child under five living with you
Employment and Support Allowance - introduction (people with disabilities section)

Effect on other benefits

Cold Weather Payments will not affect other benefits you may be getting.

Do I need to apply?

No. Payment will be issued automatically.

The Cold Weather Payment season runs from 1st November until 31st March, and any cold weather spells outside this period will not be considered for payment.

To check if you qualify for a Cold Weather Payment check the "Cold Weather Payments checker" in the link below.

Tell the State Pension Service or your local Social Security/Jobs and Benefits office if you think you should have received a Cold Weather Payment but didn’t get one.

Payment can’t be made more than 26 weeks after the last day of a recorded cold weather period.

Winter Fuel Payment

Winter Fuel Payments are different from Cold Weather Payments. Winter Fuel Payments are yearly one-off payments to help eligible people pay for their heating in the winter.

Winter Fuel Payments are paid to men and women who have reached the minimum age at which a woman can receive a state pension. They are not linked to temperature. This is different to Cold Weather Payments, which eligible people may get for each period of very cold weather in their postcode area.