Freezing temperatures early this year saw £35 million worth of cold weather payments made to households across England and Wales – but one million pensioners are still missing out
Nearly 1.5 million households across England and Wales have already received cold weather payments this winter, the government has confirmed.
The payments of £25 are made when the average temperature in a postcode area is recorded as – or forecast to be – zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days. Freezing weather in the first few weeks of 2026 have meant extra payments being made to eligible households.
The payments were triggered by temperatures plunging below zero at more than 30 Met Office weather stations across the country. Around 1.4 million cold weather payments were dished out last winter.
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According to the Department for Work and Pensions, more than £35 million has been paid to vulnerable households across England and Wales so far this winter. The scheme runs from November 1 2025 to March 31 2026.
You will usually be eligible for Cold Weather Payments if you get Pension Credit. Those receiving Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Support for Mortgage Interest may also be eligible if they meet additional criteria, such as their employment status, health conditions, disability, or caring responsibilities for young or disabled children.
People in Scotland don’t receive Cold Weather Payments but may be eligible for an annual Winter Heating Payment instead. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “This support is a lifeline for vulnerable households when temperatures plummet. Combined with our wider cost of living support – including a higher National Living Wage, £150 off energy bills, and a £300 Winter Fuel Payment for over nine million pensioners – these measures are making a real difference to households across the country.”
Pensioners on low incomes have been urged to apply for Pension Credit as it also provides access to other support including help with housing costs and free NHS dental treatment, as well as council tax discount, help with energy costs, and a free TV licence for over 75s. The charity Age UK says that around one in six – equivalent to 1.9 million – pensioners live in poverty yet many older people assume they won’t qualify, or find it daunting and difficult to complete applications without help.
Figures from 2023/24 showed nearly two in five of those eligible to claim Pension Credit – equivalent to one million pensioners – are missing out on average £50 per week, or £2,600 per year. Morgan Vine, director of policy and influencing at the charity Independent Age, said: “Cold Weather Payments can be a lifeline during cold snaps.
“With more than half of older people on low incomes across England and Wales regularly sharing that they are worried about meeting the cost of their heating bill, it is crucial that vital support like this reaches those who need it most. We welcome this £35 million investment from the UK Government to support people of all ages struggling to heat their homes and look forward to continuing to work with the Government to ensure older people on low incomes receive the financial support they need.”
