Pension Credit in England
You are likely to qualify for a Cold Weather Payment in 2026/27. You get Pension Credit, which usually qualifies you.
Money · Winter 2026 to 2027
Cold Weather Payment 2026/27 checker
The Cold Weather Payment is £25 for each 7-day period when the average temperature in your area is 0°C or below, between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027. It is paid automatically, only to people on certain benefits. Scotland pays Winter Heating Payment instead.
£25 a weekFor each 7-day freeze, 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027
Check your Cold Weather Payment for 2026/27
Runs in your browser, with no run limit; nothing you enter leaves this page
Answer for your own benefit claim today. Whether a payment is triggered also depends on the weather where you live, which only the official postcode checkers can tell you.
You are likely to qualify for a Cold Weather Payment in 2026/27
- You get Pension Credit, which usually qualifies you.
- You are paid £25 automatically for each 7-day period of very cold weather in your area between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027; no claim is needed.
- If your area had 2 qualifying 7-day periods, that would be £50.
- Whether a spell counts depends on your area's weather station: use the official postcode checker for your nation.
A guide to GOV.UK's published rules, not a decision: DWP decides whether you are paid. Check your postcode with the official checker below.
Official postcode checkers: England and Wales (DWP); Northern Ireland (nidirect).
Eligibility by benefit
Who can get a Cold Weather Payment
From GOV.UK's eligibility page. You must get one of these benefits and meet its extra condition.
| Benefit | What else you need |
|---|---|
| Pension Credit | Usually qualifies on its own. |
| Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) | You are in the work-related activity group or the support group; otherwise you need a severe or enhanced disability premium, a pensioner premium, a disabled child or a child under 5 at home. |
| Universal Credit | Neither you nor a partner is employed or gainfully self-employed, and you have limited capability for work, a child under 5, or a disabled child amount in your claim. |
| Support for Mortgage Interest | You get a severe or enhanced disability premium or a pensioner premium, or have a disabled child or a child under 5 at home. |
Worked answers
Four worked answers from this checker
Each button loads the example into the checker above.
Universal Credit, not working, child under 5
You are likely to qualify for a Cold Weather Payment in 2026/27. You get Universal Credit, you (and any partner) are not in work, and a child under 5 lives with you, which qualifies you.
Universal Credit with a job
You do not appear to qualify for a Cold Weather Payment. Universal Credit only qualifies you if neither you nor a partner is employed or gainfully self-employed.
Pension Credit in Scotland
Scotland does not pay Cold Weather Payments. You cannot get a Cold Weather Payment if you live in Scotland. You may get Winter Heating Payment instead, whatever the weather (mygov.scot).
Amount and dates
How much, and when
- £25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027.
- A period counts when the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, 0°C or below for 7 consecutive days.
- You do not need to apply. GOV.UK says the money is paid within 14 working days of each cold period, into the account your benefits go into.
- It does not affect your other benefits.
- If you have a baby or a child under 5 joins you while on Universal Credit or income-related ESA, report it, or the payment is not automatic.
Your area
Checking whether your area is due a payment
Your postcode is matched to a weather station, and the station's recorded or forecast temperature decides whether a payment is due. GOV.UK does not publish the 2026/27 postcode-to-station list, so this page does not guess: use the official checkers.
England and Wales: DWP Cold Weather Payment checker; Northern Ireland: nidirect checker.
Scotland
If you live in Scotland
You cannot get a Cold Weather Payment if you live in Scotland. You may get Winter Heating Payment instead, which is paid regardless of weather conditions. mygov.scot has the rules and amounts. In Scotland? Use our Scotland Winter Heating Payment checker to check both Scottish payments, or read mygov.scot: Winter Heating Payment.
Not the same payment
Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment?
They are separate. Winter Fuel Payment is a once-a-winter payment of £100 to £300 based on your age; Cold Weather Payment is £25 per freezing week and depends on your benefits and local weather. You can get both. Check the Winter Fuel Payment 2026/27, see the April 2027 benefits increase or the State Pension increase for 2027.
Related
More winter money checks.
Winter Fuel Payment 2026/27 checker
Born on or before 27 June 1960? Check whether you get £100 to £300 this winter and whether HMRC takes it back above £35,000.
April 2027 benefits increase forecast
Universal Credit, Pension Credit, PIP, Attendance Allowance and Carer's Allowance from April 2027, worked out from September 2026 CPI of 3.5%. A forecast until DWP confirms.
State Pension increase 2027 calculator
The triple lock gives 3.9% for April 2027: see your new weekly, 4-weekly, monthly and yearly State Pension.
Pension Credit calculator 2026/27
Estimate the weekly Guarantee Credit top-up from £238 (single) or £363.25 (couple), with extras and the savings rule.
Scotland Winter Heating Payment checker 2026/27
Living in Scotland? Check Winter Heating Payment (£62) and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (£105.55 to £316.70) in one place.
Helpful answers
Cold Weather Payment 2026/27 FAQs.
Who gets the Cold Weather Payment in 2026/27?
People who get Pension Credit, or income-related ESA, Universal Credit or Support for Mortgage Interest and meet the extra conditions GOV.UK sets, such as being in the ESA support group or having a child under 5 at home.
How much is the Cold Weather Payment?
£25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather in your area between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027.
What are the Cold Weather Payment dates for winter 2026 to 2027?
The scheme runs from 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027. A payment is triggered when the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, 0°C or below for 7 consecutive days.
Do I need to apply for a Cold Weather Payment?
No. It is paid automatically, within 14 working days of the cold period, into the account your benefits are paid into. Report it if you have a baby or a child under 5 joins you, or payment may not be automatic.
Can I get a Cold Weather Payment in Scotland?
No. Scotland does not have Cold Weather Payments. You may get Winter Heating Payment instead, which is paid regardless of weather conditions.
How do I check whether my area is due a payment?
Use the official DWP checker for England and Wales or the nidirect checker for Northern Ireland. Your postcode is matched to a weather station.
Sources, opened 29 October 2026: GOV.UK, Cold Weather Payment; eligibility; what you need to do; mygov.scot, Winter Heating Payment. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. A guide, not a benefit decision.