The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has activated its Cold Weather Payment scheme across hundreds of areas in the UK, offering vital financial support to households facing freezing conditions.
Who Qualifies for the £25 Payment?
An estimated 674,000 households across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are set to receive the automatic £25 payment. The support is triggered when the average temperature in a local area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below for seven consecutive days.
The scheme runs from 1 November 2025 to 31 March 2026. Eligible recipients will get £25 for each qualifying seven-day period of very cold weather during this window. Payments are made automatically into the same bank account used for benefit claims and should arrive within 14 working days after each cold spell.
Full List of Affected Postcodes
The DWP has confirmed that payments have been triggered for residents in 441 postcodes. The affected areas span numerous regions, including parts of Cambridgeshire, South Wales, Essex, County Durham, and Norfolk, among others.
Key areas include:
- Cambridge (CB postcodes): CB1 to CB7, CB10, CB11, CB21-25.
- South Wales (CF postcodes): CF37 to CF48, CF81-83, including Pontypridd, Merthyr Tydfil, and Caerphilly.
- Essex (CM postcodes): CM1 to CM24, CM77, covering Chelmsford, Brentwood, Harlow, and Braintree.
- Durham (DH, DL postcodes): DH1, DH6-9, DL4-5, DL8, DL11-17.
- Norfolk (NR, PE postcodes): NR1-34, PE30-38, including Norwich, Great Yarmouth, and King's Lynn.
- Other significant clusters are in areas like Milton Keynes (MK), Northampton (NN), and Ipswich (IP).
What This Means for Eligible Households
This intervention by the DWP provides a crucial buffer for vulnerable individuals and families on qualifying benefits, helping them cover the extra costs of heating during severe winter weather. The scheme operates alongside the annual Winter Fuel Payment but is specifically tied to periods of exceptionally low temperatures.
Residents in the listed postcodes who receive eligible benefits such as Pension Credit, Income Support, or Universal Credit do not need to apply. The payment is automatic. It is essential for households to ensure their details are up to date with the DWP to avoid any delays in receiving this and other benefits.
With further cold snaps possible before the scheme ends on 31 March 2026, more postcodes could be added to the list in the coming weeks.
