Cold Weather Payment: How to claim £25 DWP grant, who can claim it, list of eligible postcodes - how to check

Parts of the UK are currently facing the brunt of freezing subzero temperatures as Met Office weather warnings for snow and ice continue to be issued. As a result of the conditions, heating bills are expected to rise, so the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is offering a financial remedy.

Cold Weather Payments act as a way to support poorer and low-income households afford to keep warm when temperatures dip below zero. With some parts of the country plunging as low as -9℃, a number of areas have become eligible for the scheme this week.

It runs from November 1 to March 31 and applies to people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It consists of a £25 payment for every seven-day period in which the temperature is in the minuses.

The financial support is not available in Scotland after the country scrapped it last year. Instead, the country adopts a new Winter Heating Payment that provides automatic £50 annual payments to households.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Cold Weather Payment and how to claim it. Including a full list of eligible postcodes in the UK.

Who is eligible for a Cold Weather Payment?

Not every household in the country will find themselves eligible for the extra financial support during chilly conditions. You may be able to claim the payment if you currently receive any of the following benefits:

• Pension credit
• Income support
• Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
• Income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
• Universal credit
• Support for mortgage interest (SMI)