With colder conditions expected as winter approaches, some households will soon start to see £25 cash payments landing in Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) bank accounts.

The Cold Weather Payment program reopened on November 1 and provides eligible households with financial assistance when the weather drops below a certain level for an extended period of time.

The program lasts until March and people benefiting from certain DWP the benefits entitle you to assistance.

Pensions Minister Emma Reynolds said: “As we head into the winter months, I want to make sure the most vulnerable in our society receive the support they need. “That’s why we’ve introduced a range of measures to help low-income households, such as Cold Weather Payments and the Warm Homes Discount.”

Here’s everything you need to know about the cold weather payment system.

When are cold weather payments made?

Cold weather payments of £25 are paid every seven days if the average temperature in a person’s area falls to zero degrees or below.

Households can check if a payment is due in their area using the DWPCold weather payment postcode checker.

The money will appear on bank statements within 14 days of every seven days of very cold weather between November 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025.

The payment reference will begin with the customer’s National Insurance number followed by ‘DWP CWP’ for people in England and Wales.

Payments are made automatically to households receiving certain means-tested benefits.

Who is eligible for cold weather payments?

A person must benefit from one of the following benefits:

• Pension credit
• Income support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related employment and support allowance
• Universal Credit
• Support for Mortgage Interest.

There are certain conditions for each benefit that allow a person to receive a payment, such as also having a disability or pension premium, or if they live with a child under the age of five. For the full list of requirements for each benefit, people can visit the Government webpage.

People living in Scotland are not eligible for cold weather payments. However, they can benefit from an annual allowance. Payment for heating in winter instead.

This is worth £58.75 and will be automatically paid once a year in December through Social Security Scotland, to anyone eligible for a cold weather payment.