Cold Weather Payment DWP extra eligible groups, Digi Mart USA News: The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed that four groups may be able to receive Cold Weather Payments even though they do not meet the standard criteria. Normally, people qualify if they receive Pension Credit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Universal Credit or Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI).
Eligible people will receive £25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027. Payments are made within 14 working days after each period of very cold weather in the recipient’s area, and are paid into the same bank or building society account as their benefit payments.
Under DWP rules, people who receive income-related ESA and are in a work-related activity group or support group usually qualify. If they are not in either group, the DWP says they “might” still receive the payment if they have a severe or enhanced disability premium, a pensioner premium, a disabled child, or a child under 5 living with them.
In Scotland, the Cold Weather Payment has been replaced by the Winter Heating Payment. Instead of a payment based on weather conditions, all eligible households receive a flat £62 payment to help with heating bills.
Recipients must receive one of the same benefits during the qualifying week, which for 2026/27 was 2 to 8 November.
For Universal Credit, payments are available if neither the claimant nor their partner is employed or “gainfully self-employed.” A person is usually considered gainfully self-employed if self-employment is their main job, they work regularly and they expect to make a profit. Additionally, the claimant or their partner must have a health condition or disability that limits their capability for work, with or without work-related activity, or the claimant must have a child under 5 living with them.
