THOUSANDS of residents in three of the coldest parts of Great Britain have received £25 government payouts seven times during the winter as temperatures plunged below zero.
Government data has revealed the British regions where most Cold Weather Payments payments have been made so far this year – is your area included?
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Cold Weather Payments support low-income households with their energy bills when temperatures hit zero degrees or below for seven consecutive days.
That can come in handy with gas and electricity bills rising and the energy price cap set to approach £2,000 in April.
Every residential postcode in Great Britain is linked to a weather station where the temperature is recorded for parliamentary constituencies in that area.
If the temperature hits zero degrees or below for seven consecutive days between November and March then eligible low-income households will be sent a £25 payment to cover the extra heating costs.
It comes amid several weather warnings in recent months as Arctic storms hit the country and brought freezing temperatures during December and January.
The latest government data for the 2020-21 reporting year shows Cold Weather payments were made 140 times to more than 4 million households.
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Three areas representing 4,000 people eligible for the payments recorded temperatures below freezing seven times, according to the data.
That means these households will have received payouts worth £175.
Here are the coldest regions where seven Cold Weather Payments have been made so far this year:
Braemar
- Angus
- Perth and North Perthshire
- West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
Number eligible for payment: 1,000
Loch Glascarnoch
- Caithness
- Sutherland and Easter Ross
- Inverness
- Nairn
- Badenoch and Strathspey
- Ross
- Skye and Lochaber
Number eligible for payment: 1,000
Tulloch Bridge
- Argyll and Bute
- Inverness
- Nairn
- Badenoch and Strathspey
- Paisley and Renfrewshire North
- Perth and North Perthshire
- Ross
- Skye and Lochaber
- Stirling
Number eligible for payment: 2,000
Who is eligible for Cold Weather Payments?
You can get the cash if you are on one of the following benefits:
- 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.
If you’re eligible, you should get the payments automatically within 14 days of the weather reaching the low temperature.
It should be sent into the same account where you get your benefit payments.
But if you think you should get the payment and haven’t, then contact your pension centre or Jobcentre Plus office, or call the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.
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