The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced a significant increase in financial support for households battling the freezing conditions. For 31 specific postcode areas, the standard Cold Weather Payment has been temporarily doubled from £25 to £50 for each qualifying seven-day period of severe cold.
Which areas qualify for the increased payment?
The enhanced rate of £50 per week applies to residents in 31 postcodes where forecasters have recorded or predict particularly harsh temperatures. The affected areas are primarily in regions experiencing the brunt of the ongoing 'snow bomb' and deep freeze across the UK. The full list of postcodes eligible for the doubled payment is detailed below.
For a much larger number of other postcodes, the standard Cold Weather Payment rate of £25 per week remains in effect. This broader scheme runs from 1 November 2025 to 31 March 2026. Payments are triggered automatically when the average temperature in an area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below for seven consecutive days.
How to claim and check your payment
Eligible individuals, typically those receiving certain benefits like Pension Credit, Income Support, or Universal Credit, should receive the payment automatically. The funds are paid directly into the same bank account used for benefit payments, usually within 14 working days of the cold weather period. The payment reference will appear as "DWP CWP" on bank statements.
If you believe you should have received a Cold Weather Payment but have not, the DWP advises taking specific action. Those on Universal Credit should sign into their online account and add a note to their journal. If you don't have an online account, you should call the Universal Credit helpline, the number for which is found on letters about your claim.
For recipients of other qualifying benefits, you should contact either the Pension Service or your local Jobcentre Plus. It is also crucial to inform these services if you go into hospital, as this could affect your eligibility for the payment during your stay.
Full list of postcodes receiving increased payments
The following 31 postcodes will receive two payments totalling £50 for the relevant cold weather period:
- CA9: Alston
- CA10, CA11: Penrith
- CA12: Keswick
- CA16: Appleby-in-Westmorland
- CA17: Kirkby Stephen
- DG14: Annan
- LA8, LA9: Kendal
- LA10: Sedbergh
- LA21: Grange-over-Sands
- LA22: Ambleside
- LA23: Windermere
- NE19: Wooler
- NE47: Hexham
- NE48: Bardon Mill
- NE49: Haltwhistle
- TD9: Hawick
- CO9: Halstead
- SG5: Hitchin
- SG6: Letchworth Garden City
- SG7: Baldock
- SG8: Royston
- SG9: Buntingford
- SG10: Much Hadham
- SG11: Ware
- SG15: Arlesey
- SG16: Henlow
- SG17: Shefford
- SG18: Biggleswade
- SG19: Sandy
A single payment of £25 remains in place for hundreds of other postcodes across the country, including areas in St Albans (AL), Burnley (BB), Bradford (BD), Bournemouth (BH), and Manchester (M), among many others listed in the original DWP update.
This intervention by the DWP highlights the additional pressure the recent extreme winter weather is placing on household budgets, particularly for those on low incomes or who are vulnerable. Residents in the listed areas are urged to check their bank accounts for the automatic payment and contact the DWP if they have any concerns about their eligibility.
