Cold Weather Payments January, 2010.
What are Cold Weather Payments?
For customers on a low income, a Cold Weather Payment may be available for each seven-day period at or below zero degrees Celsius.
Who can get Cold Weather Payments?
People on certain qualifying benefits are automatically eligible:
| Benefit | Entitlement |
| Pension Credit | Entitled |
| Income Support | Entitled if they receive:
|
| Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance | Entitled if they receive:
|
| Income-related Employment Support Allowance | Entitled if they receive:
|
How much is a Cold Weather Payment?
This year payments are £25 per week for any seven consecutive days when the average temperature is zero degrees Celsius or below. Cold Weather Payments were increased from £8.50 to £25 per week for winter 2008/09 and that help was repeated this year.
They are paid out when the average temperature where the recipient lives 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.
Does the scheme run all year round?
The scheme runs from 1 November to 31 March.
How do you measure the temperature?
We use 85 specified Meteorological Office weather stations
How many weather stations have triggered payments so far?
As of 6 January 2010, 61 of the 85 weather stations have triggered a payment since 1 November (some of them have triggered three or four payments so far).
Why use postcodes linked to weather stations?
This is the most straightforward way to run the scheme. The Meteorological Office advises that the network of 85 weather stations is sufficient to provide national coverage with a reasonable level of local sensitivity.
How can I find out if a Cold Weather Payment has been triggered?
There is a postcode search facility at: http://pensions.direct.gov.uk/en/cold-weather-payment/home.asp
This will show how many payments have been triggered for that postcode. Eligible customers will be paid automatically and do not need to apply.
Will Cold Weather Payment affect other benefits?
Cold Weather Payments will not affect other benefits.
How do customers apply for a Cold Weather Payment?
They don’t need to apply – eligible customers will get a Cold Weather Payment automatically once payments are triggered for their area.
What if a customer is eligible, and it has been very cold, and they have not received a payment?
They should tell their pension centre or Jobcentre Plus if they think they should have received a Cold Weather Payment but have not had one. Customers may first like to use the online postcode search facility to check if payments have been triggered for their area.
http://pensions.direct.gov.uk/en/cold-weather-payment/home.asp
How will customers get their money?
Customers will receive their money in the usual way that they receive their benefits. So if their benefit is paid directly into a bank account, the Cold Weather payment will be paid into the same account. If they receive their benefit by cheque, that is how they will receive their Cold Weather Payment.
When will customers get their money?
Customers will generally receive payments within a week of the payment being triggered.
Is Cold Weather Payment the same as a Winter Fuel Payment?
No, the Cold Weather Payment is a separate payment, paid on top of the Winter Fuel Payment.
So what is the Winter Fuel Payment?
Winter Fuel Payments are paid (mostly before Christmas) to those aged over 60. The amount of the Winter Fuel Payment is currently £250 for pensioners aged 60-79 years living alone. (£125 if they share a home with another eligible person). For people aged 80 or over the amount payable is £400 (£200 if they share a home with another eligible person aged 80 or over).
There is more information at:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/coldweatherpayment
This website provides information on eligibility, and there is a postcode search facility where customers can find out if Cold Weather Payments have been triggered in their area.
Why do some areas get it and not others? Is it a postcode lottery?
No. Its based in the temperature in the area recorded by the Met Office. Every residential address in Great Britain is linked to one of the 85 weather station used in the scheme.
For winter 2009-10 nine new weather stations have been included as part of the scheme. Consequently, some postcodes from existing weather stations for winter 2008-09 will be redistributed and assigned to the following weather stations: Fylingdales, Gravesend, Leek, Little Rissington, North Wyke, Sheffield, St Bees Head, Stonyhurst, and Strathallan.
The alternative weather stations have been chosen to provide weather station to postcode linkages that are at least as representative as the previous arrangements—the changes are expected to either have a neutral effect or indeed provide a more accurate assessment for those eligible.
Other heating-related help
The Government’s main grant-funded programme for tackling fuel poverty is the Warm Front Scheme, which can provide a package of tailored insulation and heating improvements and energy advice for private sector households across England. Eligibility is determined by receipt of certain means-tested and disability benefits, including DLA.
The number of disabled people receiving Warm Front assistance has increased since 2005 – typically, approximately 40% of all those receiving help are in receipt of either Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance, though there will also be other disabled applicants not in receipt of these benefits who are eligible for measure
You can claim online or get a claim pack by:
- phoning the Benefit Enquiry Line
Telephone: 0800 88 22 00
Textphone: 0800 24 33 55
- contacting your local Jobcentre or social security office
Winter Fuel Payments
- The Winter Fuel Payment is one of a number of initiatives the Government has introduced to help older people keep warm and well during the winter months.
- Anyone aged 60 or over on or before 27 September 2009 may qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment of £250 per household. Households with someone aged 80 or over could get a payment of £400.
- People over 60 who are newly eligible and who need to claim, and have not already received a claim form, can get one by visiting the Winter Fuel Payment website – www.direct.gov.uk/winterfuel, or by calling the helpline on 08459 15 15 15 (0845 601 5613 for textphone users).
- Over 12 million older people receive the Winter Fuel Payment automatically without the need to claim. A payment will be made automatically if:
- During the week of 21 – 27 September 2009, people were getting a state pension or other social security benefit (apart from Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, or Child Benefit); or recipients got a payment last year and they remain eligible.
- The vast majority received their Winter Fuel Payments before Christmas. But there may still be people out there who have not claimed this money. All claim forms for the Winter Fuel Payment must be received on or before 30 March 2010 to meet the deadline. Call the Winter Fuel Helpline on 0845 9 15 15 15 for a claim form or more information.
- People who normally receive Winter Fuel Payments automatically, but have had a change of circumstances since last year’s payment, must contact The Pension Service to ensure their payments continue. This could include a change in bank account, a new address or a change in benefit entitlement.