A Cold Weather Payment is £25 for each 7-day spell when the average temperature where you live is recorded or forecast at 0°C or below. It runs from 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027. It's paid automatically to people on certain benefits in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Figures and dates are as of 14 October 2026, from GOV.UK.
How much is a Cold Weather Payment in 2026/27?
It's £25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather in your area between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027.
There's no fixed total for the winter. A mild winter might bring nothing. A long cold one could trigger several payments, each £25.
What counts as "very cold weather"?
A payment is triggered when the average temperature in your area is recorded or forecast to be 0°C or below over 7 consecutive days.
It's based on the weather station linked to your postcode, not the temperature in your home. So two people a few miles apart can get different results.
Who qualifies?
You need to be getting one of the benefits below, and meet the extra conditions for it. These are the rules GOV.UK lists for 2026/27.
Pension Credit. You'll usually get Cold Weather Payments if you get Pension Credit. There are no extra conditions.
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). You usually qualify if you're in the work-related activity group or the support group. If you're in neither, you may still qualify if you have any of:
- a severe or enhanced disability premium
- a pensioner premium
- a disabled child
- a child under 5 living with you
Universal Credit. You usually qualify if neither you nor your partner is employed or "gainfully self-employed", and one of these applies:
- you or your partner have a health condition or disability and limited capability for work (with or without work-related activity)
- you have a child under 5 living with you
You also qualify if your Universal Credit includes a disabled child amount, whether or not you or your partner work.
GOV.UK says self-employment counts as "gainful" when it's your main job, you work regularly and you expect to make a profit.
Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI). You usually qualify if you get SMI and are treated as getting a qualifying benefit. That applies if you have a severe or enhanced disability premium, a pensioner premium, a disabled child, or a child under 5 living with you.
Do you need to apply?
No. If you're eligible, you'll be paid automatically.
The one thing to watch: GOV.UK says you may need to report a change of circumstances if you have a baby or a child under 5 comes to live with you. That can be what makes you eligible, so tell the office that pays your benefit.
How do you check if your postcode is due a payment?
Use the official checker for where you live:
- England and Wales: the DWP checker at coldweatherpayments.dwp.gov.uk
- Northern Ireland: the checker at nidirect.gov.uk/services/cold-weather-payment-checker
GOV.UK says you can check whether your area is due a payment from November 2026. The 2025/26 scheme has ended, so nothing will show for this winter until a cold spell is recorded or forecast.
When and how is it paid?
After a cold spell in your area, you should get the payment within 14 working days. It goes into the same bank or building society account as your benefit.
Cold Weather Payments don't affect your other benefits.
What if you think you've been missed?
If your postcode triggered a payment and you didn't get it within 14 working days:
- Pension Credit: contact the Pension Service
- Other benefits: contact Jobcentre Plus
- Universal Credit: add a note to your online journal, or call the Universal Credit helpline (the number is on your letters)
Have your postcode and the dates of the cold spell ready.
What about Scotland?
If you live in Scotland, you can't get Cold Weather Payments. GOV.UK says you might get an annual Winter Heating Payment instead. It doesn't depend on local weather. Check the Scottish Government's guidance for the details.
Is this the same as the Winter Fuel Payment?
No. They're separate schemes, and you can get more than one.
- Cold Weather Payment: £25 per qualifying cold spell, for people on certain benefits.
- Winter Fuel Payment: a yearly payment of £100 to £300 for people over State Pension age, with an income rule.
- Warm Home Discount: £150 off your electricity bill if you qualify.
If you're over State Pension age on a low income, check whether you could get Pension Credit. It's the qualifying benefit for Cold Weather Payments, and it can open the door to other help too.
Does £25 make a difference?
On its own it won't cover a cold week's heating for most homes. But it can help, and it costs nothing to receive. It's worth making sure you're set up for it.
If you want a rough idea of what a winter of heating might cost, try the estimator. Our guide to standing charges explains the fixed part of your bill that you pay even on mild days.
What to do next
- Check you get Pension Credit, income-related ESA, Universal Credit or SMI
- Check you meet the extra conditions for your benefit
- Report a new baby or a child under 5 joining your household
- From November 2026, check your postcode on the DWP or nidirect checker after a cold spell
- If a payment is late by more than 14 working days, contact the Pension Service, Jobcentre Plus or your UC journal
- In Scotland, check whether you'll get the Winter Heating Payment instead
- Check you're also getting the Winter Fuel Payment and Warm Home Discount if eligible