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Who is eligible?

You may be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment for each week of very cold weather in your area if you get Pension Credit.

You may also be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment for each qualifying week if you are getting Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance and have a child under five or get one of the following: 

• Pension Credit
• Income Support

How much do you get?

£8.50 when the average temperature where you live is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below, over seven consecutive days during the period from 1 November to 31 March. Specified Meteorological Office weather stations are used to obtain this information.

Effect on other benefits

Cold Weather Payments will not affect other benefits you may be getting.

How to apply

You don't need to apply; you'll get a Cold Weather Payment automatically as long as you qualify.

Tell your pension centre or Jobcentre Plus if you think you should have received a Cold Weather Payment but you have not had one.

• Contact your nearest pension centre (opens new window)
• Contact Jobcentre Plus (opens new window)

More useful links

• Caring for a disabled child (caring for someone section)
• Benefits and tax allowances in retirement
• Internet use and computer training for over 50s (over 50s section)