Cold weather payment: Four Northumberland areas eligible for cold weather payment - full list of postcodes

The first cold weather payments of 2024 have been triggered as temperatures drop across the UK.

Some people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are entitled to a cold weather payment after a prolonged period of below-zero temperatures.

Here’s all you need to know about cold weather payments, including the postcodes currently entitled to it.

Cold weather payments: what are they?

The cold weather payment is a £25 benefit top-up to help with fuel costs. For an area to be eligible, the average temperature must be zero degrees Celsius or below for seven consecutive days (or be forecast to be below freezing for seven days in a row).

Cold weather payments: who is eligible?

People are eligible for the cold weather payment if they receive any of the below:

• Pension Credit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Universal Credit
• Support for Mortgage Interest

You must also live in an area which has experienced seven days of zero or below zero temperatures.

Cold weather payments: when will I receive the payment?

Those eligible for a cold weather payment will get the payment automatically. It should arrive within 14 days of the cold period, in the same bank account you receive benefit payments.

Cold weather payments: postcodes currently eligible

So far, the postcode areas that will receive a cold weather payment are:

• CA9 Leadgate, Cumbria
• CA10 Cliburn, Cumbria
• CA11 Catterlen, Cumbria
• CA12 Keswick, Cumbria
• CA16 Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria
• CA17 Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria
• LA8 Kendal, Cumbria
• LA9 Kendal, Cumbria
• LA10 Sedbergh, Cumbria
• LA21 Coniston, Cumbria
• LA22 Lakes, Cumbria
• LA23 Windermere, Cumbria
• NE19 Elsdon, Northumberland
• NE47 Allendale, Northumberland
• NE48 Bellingham, Northumberland
• NE49 Haltwhistle, Northumberland
• TD9 (parts on English side of border)
• DG14 (parts on English side of border)

People who live in Scotland do not qualify for the scheme. The Scottish government has recently replaced the scheme with Winter Heating Payments.