‘Significant’ drop in number of Cold Weather Payment triggers – have you been due up to £75 this winter?

Analysis of Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) data by Compare the Market shows there was a total of £137,600,000 in Cold Weather Payments due between November 1, 2022 and February 10, 2023, when there were 118 triggers.

So far this winter, there have been 31 Cold Weather Payment triggers, including three separate triggers in the same postcode in parts of the UK.

The decline could be due to milder-than-average weather between December and January this winter, it's suggested.

Sajni Shah, utilities expert at Compare the Market, commented: “The significant drop in the number of Cold Weather Payments reported this winter may be reflecting the relatively milder weather we’ve been having in the UK in recent months, despite some colder spells in December and January.

“Nevertheless, if temperatures fall in the coming weeks, additional support could be valuable for some households, particularly as higher living costs continue to stretch many people’s budgets.

“Across all your existing household bills, it’s a good idea to check where you could save money and encourage friends and family to do the same.”

A DWP spokesperson said: “Cold Weather Payments provide much-needed support so families can reduce anxiety over bills. So far this winter we have made over one million Cold Weather Payments to help those most vulnerable to stay warm.

“On top of this seasonal support, we are also providing a £104billion cost of living package over 2022-2025, worth on average £3,700 per household.”

Full list of winter 2023-2024 Cold Weather Payment triggers

While payments are made automatically, people can check to see if there have been payment triggers in their area via the official Cold Weather Payment postcode checker service. In England and Wales, the service is here and the link for those in Northern Ireland is here.

November 27

• Shap - CA10, CA11, CA12, CA16, CA17, LA8, LA9, LA10, LA21, LA22, LA23

November 28

• Albemarle - DH1, DH2, DH3, DH4, DH5, DH6, DH7, DH9, DL4, DL5, DL14, DL15, DL16, DL17, NE1, NE2, NE3, NE4, NE5, NE6, NE7, NE8, NE9, NE10, NE11, NE12, NE13, NE15, NE16, NE17, NE18, NE20, NE21, NE23, NE25, NE26, NE27, NE28, NE29, NE30, NE31, NE32, NE33, NE34, NE35, NE36, NE37, NE38, NE39, NE40, NE41, NE42, NE43, NE44, NE45, NE46, SR1, SR2, SR3, SR4, SR5, SR6, SR7, TS21, TS28, TS29
• Bainbridge - BD23, BD24, DL8, DL11, DL12, DL13
• Bingley - BB4, BB8, BB9, BB10, BB11, BB12, BB18, BD1, BD2, BD3, BD4, BD5, BD6, BD7, BD8, BD9, BD10, BD11, BD12, BD13, BD14, BD15, BD16, BD17, BD18, BD19, BD20, BD21, BD22, HD3, HD7, HD8, HD9, HX1, HX2, HX3, HX4, HX5, HX6, HX7, LS21, LS29, OL13, OL14, S36
• Carlisle - CA1, CA2, CA3, CA4, CA5, CA6, CA7, CA8, DG16
• Fylingdales - YO13, YO18, YO21, YO22, YO62
• Redesdale - CA9, DH8, NE19, NE47, NE48, NE49
• Rochdale - BL0, BL1, BL2, BL3, BL4, BL5, BL6, BL7, BL8, BL9, M24, M26, OL1, OL2, OL3, OL4, OL5, OL6, OL7, OL8, OL9, OL10, OL11, OL12, OL15, OL16, SK15
• Rostherne - CW4, CW6, CW7, CW8, CW9, CW10, CW11, M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M6, M7, M8, M9, M11, M12, M13, M14, M15, M16, M17, M18, M19, M20, M21, M22, M23, M25, M27, M28, M29, M30, M31, M32, M33, M34, M35, M38, M40, M41, M43, M44, M45, M46, M50, M90, PR7, SK1, SK2, SK3, SK4, SK5, SK6, SK7, SK8, SK9, SK10, SK11, SK12, SK14, SK16, WA1, WA2, WA3, WA4, WA5, WA6, WA7, WA8, WA9, WA10, WA11, WA12, WA13, WA14, WA15, WA16, WN1, WN2, WN3, WN4, WN5, WN6, WN7, WN8
• Shawbury -SY1, SY2, SY3, SY4, SY5, SY6, SY11, SY12, SY13, TF1, TF2, TF3, TF4, TF5, TF6, TF7, TF8, TF9, TF10, TF11, TF12, TF13

December 5

• Charterhall - NE71, TD9, TD12, TD15
• Leek Thorncliffe - DE4, DE45, S32, S33, SK13, SK17, SK22, SK23, ST9, ST10, ST13

December 8

• Shap - CA10, CA11, CA12, CA16, CA17, LA8, LA9, LA10, LA21, LA22, LA23

January 12

• Redesdale - CA9, DH8, NE19, NE47, NE48, NE49
• Shap - CA10, CA11, CA12, CA16, CA17, LA8, LA9, LA10, LA21, LA22, LA23

January 13

• Albemarle - DH1, DH2, DH3, DH4, DH5, DH6, DH7, DH9, DL4, DL5, DL14, DL15, DL16, DL17, NE1, NE2, NE3, NE4, NE5, NE6, NE7, NE8, NE9, NE10, NE11, NE12, NE13, NE15, NE16, NE17, NE18, NE20, NE21, NE23, NE25, NE26, NE27, NE28, NE29, NE30, NE31, NE32, NE33, NE34, NE35, NE36, NE37, NE38, NE39, NE40, NE41, NE42, NE43, NE44, NE45, NE46, SR1, SR2, SR3, SR4, SR5, SR6, SR7, TS21, TS28, TS29
• Bainbridge - BD23, BD24, DL8, DL11, DL12, DL13
• Benson - HP5, HP6, HP7, HP8, HP9, HP10, HP11, HP12, HP13, HP14, HP15, HP16, HP17, HP18, HP19, HP20, HP21, HP22, HP23, HP27, OX9, OX10, OX33, OX39, OX44, OX49, RG9, SL7, SL8, SL9
• Bingley - BB4, BB8, BB9, BB10, BB11, BB12, BB18, BD1, BD2, BD3, BD4, BD5, BD6, BD7, BD8, BD9, BD10, BD11, BD12, BD13, BD14, BD15, BD16, BD17, BD18, BD19, BD20, BD21, BD22, HD3, HD7, HD8, HD9, HX1, HX2, HX3, HX4, HX5, HX6, HX7, LS21, LS29, OL13, OL14, S36
• Charterhall - NE71, TD12, TD15
• Fylingdales - YO13, YO18, YO21, YO22, YO62
• Leek Thorncliffe - DE4, DE45, S32, S33, SK13, SK17, SK22, SK23, ST9, ST10, ST13
• Libanus - CF37, CF38, CF39, CF40, CF41, CF42, CF43, CF44, CF45, CF46, CF47, CF48, CF81, CF82, CF83, LD3, NP4, NP11, NP12, NP13, NP22, NP23, NP24, NP44, SA9
• Marham - CB6, CB7, IP24, IP25, IP26, IP27, IP28, PE12, PE13, PE14, PE30, PE31, PE32, PE33, PE34, PE35, PE36, PE37, PE38

• Carlisle - CA1, CA2, CA3, CA4, CA5, CA6, CA7, CA8, DG12, DG16
• Charlwood - BN5, BN6, BN44, GU5, GU6, ME6, ME14, ME15, ME16, ME17, ME18, ME19, ME20, RH1, RH2, RH3, RH4, RH5, RH6, RH7, RH8, RH9, RH10, RH11, RH12, RH13, RH14, RH15, RH16, RH17, RH18, RH19, RH20, TN1, TN2, TN3, TN4, TN5, TN6, TN7, TN8, TN9, TN10, TN11, TN12, TN13, TN14, TN15, TN16, TN17, TN18, TN19, TN20, TN22, TN27
• Llysdinam - LD1, LD2, LD4, LD5, LD6, LD7, LD8, SA19, SA20, SY7, SY9, SY18
• Rochdale - BL0, BL1, BL2, BL3, BL4, BL5, BL6, BL7, BL8, BL9, M24, M26, OL1, OL2, OL3, OL4, OL5, OL6, OL7, OL8, OL9, OL10, OL11, OL12, OL15, OL16, SK15

• Wattisham - CB8, CB9, CO1, CO2, CO3, CO4, CO5, CO6, CO7, CO8, CO10, CO11, CO12, CO13, CO14, CO15, CO16, IP1, IP2, IP3, IP4, IP5, IP6, IP7, IP8, IP9, IP10, IP11, IP12, IP13, IP14, IP15, IP16, IP17, IP18, IP19, IP20, IP21, IP22, IP23, IP29, IP30, IP31, IP32, IP33

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What is a Cold Weather Payment?

A Cold Weather Payment is triggered in a postcode if the average temperature in the area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days.

If there is a trigger, eligible people within that area will automatically get £25 – which covers each seven-day period of the very cold weather – within 14 working days after the period.

Under this system, it’s not guaranteed that eligible people will get a payment at all, while those in other parts of the country may get multiple. Some people have received £75 in total so far this winter, due to periods of very cold weather in their area.

The scheme no longer operates in Scotland, where it has been replaced with a £50 annual Winter Heating Payment.

The latter means eligible people will get the £50 sum regardless of the weather conditions in their area.

An estimated 3,921,000 people in England and Wales have been eligible for a Cold Weather Payment, although many have not got one due to not living in an area where there has been a trigger.

It represents a rise of 207,000, compared to the 3,714,000 eligible recipients reported last winter.