With temperatures dropping and set to plummet further, those heating systems are getting a hammering.
Sub-zero temperatures are forecast for Nottinghamshire this weekend, with predicted lows of -3C feeling like -9C with the expected wind chill.
If you are turning up the heating dial, your thoughts may also be turning to the cost of keeping warm during cold weather.
Those most in need could be eligible for help.
What is a Cold Weather Payment?
Cold Weather Payment runs from November 1, 2020, until March 31, 2021. It is a government-funded scheme which has been set up to help the most vulnerable with costs towards heating when temperatures drop below zero degrees celsius.
Those eligible to receive money will get a payment if the average temperature in their area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below for seven consecutive days.
You’ll get £25 for each seven-day period of very cold weather between those dates.
Am I eligible for Cold Weather Payment?
You'll be eligible to claim Cold Weather Payment if you are getting one of the following:
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
- Support for Mortgage Interest
How do I check if my postcode is eligible for Cold Weather Payment?
It is easy to check if your postcode is eligible to receive a Cold Weather Payment, all you need to do is go to the official government website and enter the first half of your postcode.
Once you've done this, it will calculate the number of Cold Weather payments due in the area from November 1 (when the scheme started), until the current date.
