In short: Cold Weather Payment is £25 for each 7-day period when the average temperature in your area is recorded or forecast at 0°C or below, between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027. It is paid automatically to people on certain benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest. It is not paid in Scotland, which has a yearly Winter Heating Payment instead.
Key facts
- You get £25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027. Source
- A payment is triggered when your area's average temperature is recorded as, or forecast to be, 0°C or below over 7 consecutive days. Source
- Payments are automatic and should arrive within 14 working days of each very cold period, into the account your benefit is paid into. Source
- You cannot get Cold Weather Payments in Scotland; the Winter Heating Payment for 2026/27 is £62.00, with payments starting from December. Source
- Northern Ireland runs its own Cold Weather Payment at the same £25 rate, with a postcode checker on nidirect. Source
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Cold Weather Payment is a small, automatic top-up from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for people on certain low-income benefits when their area has a spell of freezing weather. This guide covers the 2026/27 rules, which we checked against GOV.UK, nidirect and mygov.scot on 26 October 2026. Benefit rules can change, so always check the official pages linked below before relying on them.
How much is the Cold Weather Payment in 2026/27?
You get £25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027, according to GOV.UK. There is no single annual amount. If your area has three separate qualifying cold spells, you get three payments of £25. If it has none, you get nothing.
The payment is separate from the Winter Fuel Payment and from the Warm Home Discount, and GOV.UK says it doesn't affect your other benefits.
What triggers a Cold Weather Payment?
A payment is triggered when the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, 0°C or below over 7 consecutive days. It is worked out by area (linked to your postcode and a local weather station), not by the temperature inside or outside your own home.
So a cold night or two is not enough. It has to be a sustained freezing week where you live.
Who qualifies for Cold Weather Payment?
You need to be getting one of the benefits below, and meet any extra conditions. This is based on the GOV.UK eligibility page.
| Benefit you get | Do you usually qualify? |
|---|---|
| Pension Credit | Yes, usually — no extra conditions listed |
| Universal Credit | Yes if you and your partner are not employed or gainfully self-employed and one of you has a health condition or disability with limited capability for work, or you have a child under 5 living with you |
| Universal Credit with a disabled child amount | Yes, whether or not you work |
| Income-related ESA | Yes if you're in the work-related activity group or support group. If not, you may still qualify with a severe or enhanced disability premium, a pensioner premium, a disabled child, or a child under 5 living with you |
| Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) | Yes if you're treated as getting a qualifying benefit — usually where you have one of the premiums or child conditions above |
| PIP, DLA, Attendance Allowance or State Pension on their own | Not on GOV.UK's list of qualifying benefits |
A few points worth knowing:
- PIP and Cold Weather Payment. PIP on its own doesn't qualify you. If you get PIP and one of the qualifying benefits above, it's the qualifying benefit that counts.
- Universal Credit and work. The "not employed" condition applies to you and your partner. The exception is a disabled child amount, which qualifies you even if you work.
- SMI and income. GOV.UK says you're usually treated as getting a qualifying benefit if you applied for one but were turned down because your income was too high.
- Hospital. Tell the Pension Service or Jobcentre Plus if you go into hospital, as this could affect your payment.
- If you're on an older benefit not listed here, ask the Pension Service or Jobcentre Plus whether it counts.
Quick eligibility checklist
- I live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland (not Scotland)
- I get Pension Credit, Universal Credit, income-related ESA or Support for Mortgage Interest
- If on Universal Credit: no one on my claim works and we have limited capability for work or a child under 5 — or my claim has a disabled child amount
- My bank details with DWP are up to date
- I've reported a new baby or a child under 5 joining my household
Do I need to apply?
No. GOV.UK says Cold Weather Payments are paid automatically if you qualify. You may need to report a change of circumstances if you have a baby or a child under 5 comes to live with you, because that can make you eligible.
How do I check if my postcode is due a payment?
Use the official checkers:
- England and Wales: the DWP checker at coldweatherpayments.dwp.gov.uk
- Northern Ireland: the nidirect Cold Weather Payment checker
Enter your postcode to see whether a payment has been triggered in your area. GOV.UK says the 2026 to 2027 scheme starts on 1 November 2026, so the checker will show results for this winter from November.
Be wary of texts or emails asking you to "apply" or give bank details for a Cold Weather Payment. There is nothing to apply for.
When will I get paid?
According to GOV.UK, you should get the payment within 14 working days after each period of very cold weather in your area. It goes into the same bank or building society account as your benefit.
If you think you should have been paid but weren't:
- Pension Credit: contact the Pension Service
- ESA or SMI: contact Jobcentre Plus
- Universal Credit: add a note to your online journal, or call the Universal Credit helpline (the number is on letters about your claim)
Is there a Cold Weather Payment in Scotland?
No. GOV.UK says you cannot get Cold Weather Payments if you live in Scotland. Instead, Social Security Scotland pays a yearly Winter Heating Payment that doesn't depend on how cold it gets.
- Amount: £62.00 for winter 2026/27, according to the Scottish Government (30 September 2026).
- When: payments begin from December.
- Qualifying week: you need to get a qualifying benefit at some point between 2 and 8 November 2026, according to mygov.scot.
- Automatic: you'll get a letter or email, and it shows as "WHP" on your bank statement.
Qualifying benefits in Scotland are similar but not identical — for example, mygov.scot also lists Income Support and income-based Jobseeker's Allowance with a child under 5 or certain premiums. Check the mygov.scot eligibility page for the exact conditions.
Is there a Cold Weather Payment in Northern Ireland?
Yes. Northern Ireland runs its own scheme, and nidirect sets out the same £25 rate, the same 0°C-over-7-days trigger and the same 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027 window. Eligibility is through Pension Credit, income-related ESA, Support for Mortgage Interest and Universal Credit, with conditions matching those in Great Britain. Payments are automatic and usually arrive within 14 working days.
How this links to being ready for winter
£25 helps with the bill, but the cold spells that trigger it are also when pipes freeze, roads ice over and power cuts are more likely. A few low-cost steps make those weeks easier:
- Join the Priority Services Register. It's free extra help from your energy and water companies, including support in power cuts. See our Priority Services Register guide.
- Keep a power cut box. A torch, spare batteries, a battery or wind-up radio and warm layers in one place. Our power cuts guide explains what to put in it, and you can find your network operator in advance.
- Heat the rooms you use. GOV.UK's Be Ready guidance suggests heating the rooms you use most to at least 18°C, and fitting a carbon monoxide alarm — see carbon monoxide at home.
- Check on neighbours. Be Ready asks people to check on family, friends and neighbours who may be at higher risk, and offer practical help such as picking up food or medication.
Writing down who to call, which benefits you get and where your bank details are kept also helps if someone else needs to step in. Our emergency plan for older people and carers covers this.
Limitations
This page is general information, not benefits or financial advice. Rules and amounts were checked on 26 October 2026 and can change; GOV.UK, nidirect and mygov.scot are the official sources. Rules differ between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. If you're unsure, contact the Pension Service, Jobcentre Plus or Social Security Scotland. In an emergency, call 999.
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Frequently asked questions
How much is the Cold Weather Payment in 2026/27?
£25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather in your area between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027. Several cold spells in one winter mean several £25 payments.
Do I need to apply for Cold Weather Payment?
No. GOV.UK says it is paid automatically if you qualify. You may need to report a change if you have a baby or a child under 5 comes to live with you.
Can I get Cold Weather Payment on PIP?
PIP is not one of the qualifying benefits on GOV.UK's eligibility list. You qualify through Pension Credit, Universal Credit, income-related ESA or Support for Mortgage Interest if you meet their conditions.
Can I get Cold Weather Payment on Universal Credit?
Usually yes if neither you nor your partner is employed or gainfully self-employed and either one of you has limited capability for work or you have a child under 5. You also qualify if your claim includes a disabled child amount, whether or not you work.
How do I check if my postcode is due a payment?
Use the DWP checker at coldweatherpayments.dwp.gov.uk for England and Wales, or the nidirect checker for Northern Ireland. The 2026/27 scheme starts on 1 November 2026.
Does Cold Weather Payment affect my other benefits?
No. GOV.UK says the payments don't affect your other benefits.
Sources
- GOV.UK — Cold Weather Payment
- GOV.UK — Cold Weather Payment: eligibility
- GOV.UK — Cold Weather Payment: when you'll get paid
- DWP — Cold Weather Payment checker
- nidirect — Cold Weather Payment
- nidirect — Cold Weather Payment checker
- mygov.scot — Winter Heating Payment
- mygov.scot — Winter Heating Payment: eligibility
- Scottish Government — Winter heating help for over 1 million people (30 September 2026)
- Be Ready (GOV.UK) — Cold weather, snow and ice