Household eligibility for winter support schemes

Today (1 November) the Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero are reminding households receiving certain benefits, including Pension Credit, that they could be eligible for extra money to help keep warm during the cold weather until the end of March 2025.

DWP's Cold Weather Payments are an automatic bank top-up of £25, triggered to be paid to eligible households when the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below for seven consecutive days at the weather station linked to an eligible person's postcode.

The £25 payments will be paid automatically to households receiving certain benefits including, Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Universal Credit and Support for Mortgage Interest.

This comes alongside the £150 Warm Home Discount to support eligible customers with energy bills, extension to Household Support Fund and Winter Fuel Payment (for those claiming Pension Credit).