THOUSANDS of Brits could get a £25 discount on their energy bill as temperatures drop across the UK once again.Brits have been warned of an Arctic blast and blizzards hitting large areas of the country.
1Many parts of the UK have seen snow over winter, triggering £25 paymentsCredit: PA
The chilly temperatures could trigger the cold weather payment – we explain why and how to get the discount.
More than 4 million households have received Cold Weather Payments so far this winter, with many automatically sent the money if they’re claiming state benefits.
Payments have been made more than 140 times so far.
The scheme is designed to help people on low incomes with their energy bills when the temperature gets low enough.
Residents are entitled to the money if it’s below zero for more than seven days in a row, or it’s forecast to be.
Sub-zero temperatures are expected in some parts of the country until next week.
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The warning makes it more likely that a cold weather payment could be made to eligible people living in those areas.
So far, some areas which have experienced extended periods of freezing temperatures have received multiple payouts adding up to £75.
For each period those on low incomes getting certain benefits are paid £25 automatically to help cover the extra cost of heating.
The scheme runs until March 31, 2022 so the coming cold weather could trigger more payments in new areas.
Here’s the full list of postcodes that have qualified for the payment so far over the 2021-22 winter period.
AB30
AB31
AB32
AB33
AB34
AB35
AB36
AB37
AB38
AB51
AB52
AB53
AB54
AB55
DD8
DD9
PH10
PH11
PH18
PH19
PH20
PH21
PH22
PH23
PH24
PH25
PH26
IV4
IV6
IV7
IV13
IV14
IV16
IV23
IV24
IV63
You can check if your area has had a cold weather payment by popping your postcode into the government’s tool.
Who is eligible for Cold Weather Payments?
Households are eligible for the extra cash if they are getting the following:
Pension Credit
Universal Credit
Income Support
income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Support for Mortgage Interest
Depending on your specific circumstances, you may also need to meet one or more of the following additional criteria:
Have a disability or be in receipt of pension premium
Have a child who is disabled
Be in receipt of child tax credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
Have a severe or enhanced disability premium
Be in receipt of a limited capability for work amount
Have a child under five living with you
You can find out more about eligibility on the government’s website.
Getting the Cold Weather Payment doesn’t affect any other benefits you get.
If you’re eligible, you should get the payments automatically within 14 days, into the same account where you get your benefit payments.
But if you think you should …
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