The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is facing calls to introduce a £25 Warm Weather Payment scheme for households during heatwaves, replicating the existing Cold Weather Payment programme that provides £25 per week during cold winter spells. Rebecca Lamb, external relations manager at debt support group Money Wellness, has proposed the new benefit as the UK enters its third heatwave of the year, with temperatures expected to reach 35°C in parts of the country.
Why Warm Weather Payments Are Needed
Lamb argued that extreme heat brings unavoidable extra costs for vulnerable groups. "A Warm Weather Payment might sound unnecessary, but for some households, extreme heat brings unavoidable extra costs," she said. "Older people, disabled people, those with long-term health conditions, pregnant women, families with young children and people taking certain medications can all be more vulnerable during heatwaves." She highlighted that keeping homes cool, using fans more often, increasing water use, and storing medicines safely all add to household bills.
Targeted Support for Vulnerable Households
Rather than a direct copy of the Cold Weather Payment, Lamb suggested that any new scheme should be targeted at households most at risk. "As our summers become hotter and heatwaves more frequent, it's reasonable to ask whether financial support should evolve to reflect the costs of extreme weather, not just freezing temperatures," she added. Currently, no such Warm Weather Payment exists, and households struggling with higher costs during hot weather must rely on existing benefits or local council Crisis and Resilience Funds.
Third Heatwave of the Year
The Met Office confirmed that parts of the UK are experiencing heatwave conditions for the third time this year. However, deputy chief forecaster Steven Keates noted that this heatwave is not expected to be record-breaking. "Unlike the May and June heatwaves, we are not expecting this heatwave to be record-breaking," he said. "Temperatures this week are not expected to reach the highs we witnessed last month, though parts of southern England in particular are likely to see several days in the low 30s, and a few places could reach 34-35°C later this week."
No Current DWP Scheme for Heat
At present, the DWP has no equivalent to the Cold Weather Payment for warm weather. The winter scheme automatically triggers when temperatures drop below zero degrees Celsius for seven consecutive days. A similar mechanism for heatwaves would require defining a heatwave threshold, which the Met Office currently sets as three consecutive days of maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding a specific regional value. The proposal remains under discussion, with no official government response yet.
