While the climate was noticeably warmer in late 2021 and early in the new year, people have still needed a little extra help. The Covid pandemic left millions of people feeling increasingly vulnerable, and the cost of living crisis only exacerbated this. With costs likely to continue surging for the foreseeable future, some may still hope to find some solace in Government aid.
Can you still apply for cold weather payments?
The Government has designed cold weather payments to cover people through some of the most unforgiving conditions.
Under the scheme’s terms, people receive payments when the average temperature in their area plunges to 1C or below.
Should this average stick for seven days, claimants can receive £25 a week, but only for up to four months.
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People can only receive cold weather payments if they already receive Government financial help via the following benefits:
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
- Support for Mortgage Interest
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Winter fuel payments are slightly more generous and could see people born on or before September 26, 1955, receive between £100 and £300 to help with their bills.
People receive the payment automatically if they qualify and receive State Pension or another social security benefit.
The additional cash usually arrives between November and December, ahead of the coldest days.
But the application period ends with cold weather payments on March 31 this year.
