The Cold Weather Payment scheme for 2023 to 2024 opened in November 2023, according to the Isle of Anglesey County Council, which lists the scheme among the household cost support it signposts1. The British Gas Energy Trust, an independent charity, reported on 9 November 2023 that the government had launched the scheme, running from November until the end of March2.
In England and Wales, eligible people receive £25 for each seven-day period of very cold weather between 1 November 2023 and 31 March 20242. A payment is triggered if the average temperature in a local area is recorded as, or is forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below for seven days in a row1. The council states that most people are paid automatically if they qualify1, and the trust states that where the temperature measures are met, payment usually arrives within 14 working days, paid into the same bank or building society account as the claimant's benefits2.
Eligibility is tied to receipt of certain benefits. The trust lists Pension Credit, Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance and Support for Mortgage Interest, adding that conditions apply to each and that criteria are set out on the official eligibility pages2. The council states that Cold Weather Payments may be available to people getting certain benefits or support for mortgage interest1. Neither source sets out the full qualifying conditions.
Scotland operates differently. The trust states that instead of Cold Weather Payments, eligible people there may receive an annual Winter Heating Payment of £50, which does not depend on how cold it gets, and that a letter is sent before any payment2. The council's page covers England and Wales eligibility only1.
| Nation | 2023 to 2024 arrangement | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | Payment per seven-day period of very cold weather, 1 November 2023 to 31 March 2024 | £25 per period2 |
| Scotland | Annual Winter Heating Payment, not dependent on temperature | £502 |
"The government has launched the Cold Weather Payment scheme, running from November until the end of March."
The council also lists the Warm Homes Discount Scheme, which it states reopened in October 2023 and is paid by the supplier as a discount on the bill, with eligible persons due to have received a letter by November or December 2023 and no application needed1. It states that people born before 25 September 1957 could get between £250 and £600 through the Winter Fuel Payment, including a Pensioner Cost of Living Payment of between £150 and £300 in winter 2023 to 20241. The council notes it is not responsible for implementing these plans or making the payments1.
Why it matters for households
Cold Weather Payments are one of the few forms of grants and schemes support that respond directly to how cold a winter actually is, rather than to a fixed annual date. For a household on a qualifying benefit, a sustained cold spell converts into a cash sum within about a fortnight, which can offset the cost of running heating harder during the coldest weeks. Because payment is automatic, the practical question for a household is whether it is on a qualifying benefit at all, and whether its postcode area has met the temperature trigger.
The scheme sits alongside other support listed by the council, including the Warm Homes Discount and the Winter Fuel Payment1, and differs from them in being weather-dependent. Households in Scotland fall under a separate arrangement with a fixed annual payment2. The council's page also points to help with making a home warmer through insulation and other measures under schemes such as ECO and Nest1, which affect standing heat demand rather than the cost of a single cold snap.
What happens next
The scheme runs to 31 March 20242. Payments are made automatically where the temperature trigger is met, usually within 14 working days2. The trust states that people who believe they qualify but receive nothing should ask their local benefits team for advice2. The council states that eligible persons for the Warm Homes Discount should have received a letter by November or December 20231.
Sources2 cited
- Help with household costs, anglesey.gov.wales
- Cold Weather Payments start from November - British Gas Energy Trust, britishgasenergytrust.org.uk