Map reveals 77 postcodes due up to £50 in cold weather payments direct to bank accounts
THOUSANDS of households in more than 70 postcodes are due payments of up to £50 to assist with heating costs as the cold snap continues.
The free cash, known as the cold weather payment, is issued by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Eligible individuals receive £25 for each seven-day stretch of low temperatures, with these payments available until 31 March.
The funds are deposited directly into bank accounts within 14 days of a postcode being triggered.
Payments are made automatically, so there's no need to apply.
At the moment, 18 postcodes are eligible for two £25 payments worth £50 in total.
Read more in money
A further 59 postcodes are now eligible for a single payment.
Further cold weather could lead to additional payments in other areas, and there is no maximum limit to the amount you can receive.
Last winter, almost 500 postcodes got payments worth up to £75.
You can also check if you are due a cold weather payment in the future by visiting coldweatherpayments.dwp.gov.uk or nidirect.gov.uk/articles/cold-weather-payment if you live in Northern Ireland.
Who is eligible for cold weather payments?
Households in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are eligible for cold weather payments.
Households in Scotland aren't but get a Winter Heating Payment instead. More information can be found at www.mygov.scot/winter-heating-payment.
You usually qualify for a cold weather payment once temperatures have dropped and if you're on certain benefits. These are:
- Pension credit
- Income support
- Income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA)
- Income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit
You can also get the payments if you receive support for mortgage interest.
However, depending on each benefit, there are other criteria you might have to fulfil to be eligible.
For example, if you're on Universal Credit you will only qualify if you are unemployed or "gainfully self-employed", or your partner is unemployed or "gainfully self-employed".
You are considered gainfully self-employed if you work regularly and expect to make a profit.
One of the following must also apply:
- You or your partner have a health condition or disability and have limited capability for work (with or without work-related activity)
- You have a child under five living with you
You are also eligible if you have a disabled child amount included in your Universal Credit claim.
There are also other eligibility criteria attached if you claim Income Support and income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA), income-related employment and support allowance (ESA) or get support for mortgage interest (SMI).
If you have a baby or a child under five living with you, you will need to tell your local Jobcentre Plus.
You'll also need to let them know if you get income support, JSA or ESA.
Entitledto's determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data.
You can use to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
When and how are payments made?
Payments are typically made within 14 working days of your postcode being activated.
The cash is paid directly into the same bank or building society account where you receive your benefits.
Tell the Pension Service or Jobcentre Plus if you don't receive a payment and think you should have.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Call the Pension Service helpline on 0800 731 0469 or find your nearest Jobcentre by visiting find-your-nearest-jobcentre.dwp.gov.uk/.
If you're on Universal Credit, you can log in to your account and add a note to your journal.
What energy bill help is available?
There's a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you're struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don't think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don't need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill.
Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you're struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.