Around five million Cold Weather Payments worth £130 million have been issued to households for support with energy bills this winter.
The payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) sees eligible households in England and Wales receive an automatic bank top-up of £25 when temperatures hit zero degrees Celsius, or below, for seven consecutive days at the weather station linked to their postcode.
Around 80% of this winter’s payments – approximately four million – were triggered in December.
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The DWP estimates that over £130 million was paid out from November until the end of March - with over £40 million of this going to pensioners in receipt of Pension Credit.
Minister for Pensions Laura Trott said: “Cold Weather Payments provide vital support to help people through cold snaps each winter. While those colder months are now thankfully behind us, there will be no let-up in our extensive support for households across the country.
“This government is committed to helping the most vulnerable in our society. We’re delivering the biggest State Pension increase in history and boosting benefits by over 10% while our Energy Price Guarantee will continue to hold down people’s energy bills.”
Now, millions of UK households are set to receive up to £900 from the DWP as part of a series of three payments to support some of the most vulnerable.
Between 25 April and 17 May, eligible households and those on benefits such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit will receive £301 directly from the DWP. This follows the £650 Cost of Living Payment made to over eight million people in 2022.
There will also be further payments worth £150 for eligible disabled people and £300 for pensioners due later this year, meaning the most vulnerable can receive up to £1,350 in direct payments.
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