DWP will begin to send free £25 payments to UK households after tomorrow

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will send £25 one-off payments to eligible households over winter - with a scheme returning to the UK tomorrow. The DWP Cold Weather Payment scheme will begin and give £25 payouts when the forecast is linked to the Met Office.

The scheme runs from November 1 til March 31 each year. The cold weather payment is a grant paid by the Government to older people and those on certain benefits in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, to help pay for heating costs when temperatures hit zero or below in your area.

If you're eligible, you'll get £25 each time the average temperature in your area is – or is forecast to be – 0°C or below for seven days in a row between 1 November and 31 March. If you're eligible, you should receive £25 in your bank account automatically within 14 working days.

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You’ll get £25 for each seven day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March. After each period of very cold weather in your area, you should get a payment within 14 working days. It’s paid into the same bank or building society account as your benefit payments.

Cold Weather Payments do not affect your other benefits. The cold weather payment is also available to people in receipt of any of income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance, income-related employment and support allowance, universal credit or support for mortgage interest.

To get a Cold Weather Payment on Universal Credit, you usually cannot be employed or self-employed. One of the following must also apply: you have a health conditionor disability, have limited capability for work, you have a child under 5 livingwith you.

If you have a disabled child living with you, it does not matter if you are employed or not. You could still qualify for a Cold Weather Payment.