Help paying your bills

Cold Weather Payments

Cold weather and health: Supporting vulnerable people

The UK Health Security Agency has published information and guidance to protect vulnerable people from the cold weather in England and offer health support.

This guidance offers advice for caring for people most at risk during cold weather. It is part of a wider collection of documents providing guidance on how to minimise the health effects of adverse weather and to build community resilience - health impacts of cold weather in England

The cold weather payment

This is a grant paid by the Government to older people and those on certain benefits to help pay for heating costs when temperatures hit zero and below in your area.

If you're eligible, you'll get £25 each time the average temperature in your area is – or is forecast to be – 0°C or below for seven days in a row between 1 November and 31 March.

You may get Cold Weather Payments if you’re getting some benefits, including Pension Credit, Income Support, Universal Credit and Jobseeker’s Allowance. If you’re eligible you will be paid it automatically.

Find out more about Cold Weather Payments