The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to issue one-off cold weather payments to more than four million households across Britain, following a prolonged spell of freezing conditions in the first weeks of 2026.
Who Qualifies for the Winter Support?
The payments, triggered when local temperatures are recorded at or below 0°C for seven consecutive days, provide £25 for each eligible seven-day period. The scheme, which runs annually from 1 November to 31 March, has seen significant activation this winter due to the severe weather, including the impacts of Storm Goretti, which brought snow, high winds, and temperatures as low as -12°C.
To receive the payment automatically, households must be in a qualifying postcode and already receive one of several means-tested benefits. These include:
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit
- Support for Mortgage Interest
Pensions Minister Torsten Bell stated: “As temperatures plunge, cold weather payments will automatically get support directly to vulnerable households.” He linked the measure to wider government support, including the triple lock on state pensions.
Which Areas Are Affected and When Will Payments Arrive?
For the period covering 30 December 2025 to 9 January 2026, over 800 postcode areas met the criteria. The DWP estimates that over one million households within these 802 postcode districts will receive at least one payment.
Seventeen of the Met Office's 71 weather stations triggered the payment in the week ending 9 January, with 14 of them doing so for the first time this winter. The station at Rostherne in Cheshire triggered the highest number of payments (241,000), covering parts of east Cheshire and southern Greater Manchester. The Morpeth station in Northumberland triggered payments for some 136,000 households.
Payments should be made automatically into the recipient's usual benefits account within 14 working days of the cold period, with the payment reference “DWP CWP”. Those who believe they are eligible but have not received funds are advised to contact the DWP directly.
Key Exceptions and How the System Works
It is important to note that while the affected weather stations cover some parts of Scotland, residents there will not receive the DWP cold weather payment. The Scottish Government has replaced it with its own annual Winter Heating Payment.
The DWP relies on Met Office data to determine which postcodes qualify. Some areas, particularly in the Lake District, have already qualified for multiple payment periods this winter, with several postcodes eligible for two payments totalling £50. Last year, some residents in that region received three payments, amounting to £75.
Since 1 November, there have been eight days where the sub-zero temperatures triggered the scheme nationally. The full list of eligible postcodes runs into the hundreds, covering areas of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, including postcodes in Northern Ireland such as BT24, BT25, BT26, BT30, BT31, BT32, BT33, and BT34.
