Cold Weather Payment

Thanks for the link, my first payment has just been triggered. I noticed on sky news that somebody has picked up on the fact we are entitled to these & speculated that 97% that are entitled to it will be getting it paid this week, that’s around four million supposedly. And more than two million of these are pensioners who will also receive winter fuel payments of between £250 – £400. I think it’s a dig but, it’s only on text & not on the news channel itself so I can’t tell with no expression. It wouldn’t surprise me, we seem to be an easy target

@catatude wrote:

I havent had cold weather payment since I left school. was told you could only get it over 60.

You might be confusing two similar benefits. The “Cold Weather Payment” is an additional sum paid to any one receiving a mean tested benefit [such as Income Support, ESA-Income Based, JSA Income-Based] when the temperature has dipped and remained below freezing for seven consecutive days.

Where as the “Winter Fuel Allowance” is the flat rate £250 paid to anybody irrespective of their income who is aged 60 or over on the qualifying date that year. I agree that many non-needing people get it but doing a blanket payout is cheaper than operating an administrative system that would handle a more complicated application procedure.

@catatude wrote:

My mum tried phoning the job centre folk this morning. we wont get anything even thu shes just on income support and carrers allowance. and I wont get anything, Iget DLA and what ever benifet goes into my car.

Our heating bills going to be huge, coz I been off sick from work for about 2 months now. and will be off most of January taking my annual leave. My mum normally turns the heating way down or off when Im out or at work but with this snow Im stuck indoors and the heating needs to be up high or I cant move about.

I take it that Mum is not yet 60 [or was not on the qualifying date] so she would not get the winter fuel allowance and as her income support is paid on the basis of being a carer, she would not get the cold weather payment either. Sadly you are one of those who falls through the net on this. I know a lot of people with arthritis who are having similar problems.

There is a similar situation with me, I get DLA and Incapacity Benefit and that is it. I cannot worry about fuel bills now, I will just have to change a lot of my budget next year to cover the hike in costs.