Wednesday 1 December 2010

Cold Weather Payments

For those readers on qualifying benefits, you can check whether or not you are yet eligible for any Cold Weather Payments on this direct gov website.

Payments are made when the average temperature for where you live is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days.

Also from direct.gov, who qualifies for Cold Weather Payments:
If you are in receipt of Pension Credit, Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), you may also be able to get Cold Weather Payments.

You get £25 for each seven day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March and it is paid automatically, you do not need to apply for it.

So, if you want to check whether you are due to receive one, you can do so here.

Cross-posted at incurable hippie blog.

9 comments:

  1. I've just checked and I'm due for one which means almost everyone eligible in London will get one (because all of London except some of the bits in Essex are covered by the same weather station).

    ReplyDelete
  2. I get one - But I think it should be for every 3 days as I am sure to keep warm when I am unable to go out at all. I have spent more than £25 - In fact probablly double that and I have worn extra clothes and about 4 layers and am still cold with heating on full all day (and not turning it off but only down at night) as i get ALOT of pain in the cold

    ReplyDelete
  3. As last year, I refuse to put my postcode in that thing. Instead I put a postcode a couple of streets away to check if my area is due one. I've never understood why they ask for your full postcode but then in the results they only say "in the XX12 area" and I'm not giving them any opportunity to somehow discover that my ability to put my postcode into a box equates to being able to work a 40 hour week.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Does anyone know if you qualify for a Cold Weather Payment when on the assessment phase of ESA? And if not, does it get backdated if you succeed at the tribunal stage? I am really struggling to pay my heating bills at the moment!

    ReplyDelete
  5. sadly I'm on IB, snowbound in the north east, and not eligible for a penny. doubt i'll last through winter, can't afford heat at all.

    ReplyDelete
  6. can't make head nor tail of who is eligible never received one before so doubt I will now.

    ReplyDelete
  7. what if you are on appeal rate, because you have been found capable of work on the wonderful WCA and you are appealing the decision?

    I feel like i am in limbo, where ive no idea what im able to get or not.

    ReplyDelete
  8. i cant understand why over 60s get a lump sum? 10 weeks worth in one go? £250 and my disabled mother whos under 60 gets nothing?? its not fair.

    ReplyDelete
  9. My husband is disabled and uses a wheelchair and needs the heating on more than most abled bodied people. We are on a low income and get tax credits but not income support. He volunteers and I am a student and we are entitled to nothing!!! It really frustrates me. Anyone else feel like this????

    ReplyDelete