Cold Weather Payment 2026/27: £25 for each week of freezing weather, and who can get it

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) published an easy read guide to Cold Weather Payments on 9 November 2026. The payment is made during very cold weather, and the simple guide explains what it is and how to get it.

How much and when

According to GOV.UK, the payment is due when the average temperature in your area has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0°C or below for 7 consecutive days. You get £25 for each such 7-day period. This applies between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027.

The money should arrive within 14 working days of the end of the cold spell. It is paid into the same bank or building society account as your benefit payments.

Who can get it

You may get the payment if you receive one of these benefits:

• Pension Credit,
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA),
• Universal Credit,
• Support for Mortgage Interest.

For Universal Credit, two conditions usually apply. Neither you nor your partner (if you have one) can be employed or "gainfully self-employed", meaning self-employment is your main job, you work regularly and you expect to make a profit. One of the following must also apply: you or your partner have a health condition or disability and limited capability for work, or a child under 5 lives with you. You are also eligible if your claim includes a disabled child amount, whether or not you are working.

People on income-related ESA usually get the payment if they are in the work-related activity group or the support group. Others may qualify if, for example, they get a relevant disability or pensioner premium, or a child under 5 or a disabled child lives with them.

Do you need to apply?

If you are eligible, you are paid automatically and do not need to apply. However, if you get Universal Credit or income-related ESA, you must report a change in circumstances if you have a baby or a child under 5 comes to live with you. Without this, you may not be paid automatically. Universal Credit claimants do this through their online account or by phone, and people on ESA tell Jobcentre Plus.

If you think you should have been paid but were not, contact the Pension Service or Jobcentre Plus. Universal Credit claimants can add a note to the journal in their account.

Where it does not apply

People living in Scotland cannot get Cold Weather Payments. They may get the annual Winter Heating Payment instead, which is paid regardless of the weather. Cold Weather Payments are different from Winter Fuel Payments. On GOV.UK you can check whether a payment is due in your area by entering a postcode in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

What this means for you

People living in England, Wales or Northern Ireland who receive the benefits above and meet the conditions may get the payment automatically. If you have a baby or a child under 5 comes to live with you, it is important to report this through Universal Credit or to Jobcentre Plus. The easy read guide is intended for people who find simple texts easier to read, among others.