Wales woke up to a blanket of snow on Wednesday morning, with the Met Office putting yellow weather warnings in place for ice and snow for Thursday and Friday. Over 130 schools in Wales closed as temperatures plummeted.
The Met Office reports temperatures of 0°C in Wrexham and Newtown Powys, and 1°C in Cardiff, Carmarthen, Monmouth, and St David's as snow continues to fall across the country. The snowy weather has caused traffic problems, as the Rhigos Mountain Pass was closed on Wednesday and Thornhill Road, near Caerphilly Mountain, was impassable.
While many are reluctant to turn on their heating due to increased energy bills, the cold weather will have forced many people to reach for the constant button on their boilers. However, as well as a number of financial support schemes available to help you pay your bills this winter, extra help is available through the cold weather payment. We've put together a short guide on what the payment, how to know if you're eligible, and what needs to happen for the payment to become available.
READ MORE: Met Office snow forecast for Wales: The hour by hour forecast for Wednesday
How is the Cold Weather Payment triggered?
You may be able to get a Cold Weather Payment if you claim certain benefits or a Support for Mortgage Interest. If the temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days, you'll be able to get a payment. For each seven day period of very cold weather between November 1 and March 31, you get £25, with the scheme running from November 1 to March 31. People who claim certain benefits will automatically receive a £25 if this happens.
While temperatures have reached 0°C in some areas, whether you will get a payment for this week depends on the specific temperatures - the mercury has to drop to zero or below for those seven consecutive days to trigger the payment. If the temperature is below freezing for just one day, or even for six consecutive days, and then rises the clock will reset to zero and the counting will start again.
How do I qualify?
If you are on the following benefits, you will qualify for the payment:
- Pension credit
- Income support
- income-based jobseeker's allowance
- income-related employment and support allowance
- Universal credit
- Support for mortgage interest
You will usually receive a Cold Weather Payment if you receive income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance or a disability or pensioner premium; a child who is disabled; child tax credit that includes a disability or severe disability element; or a child under five living with you.
If you receive Universal Credit and you are not employed or self-employed, you will also usually receive the payment. However, one of the following must apply:
- you 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
If you have a disabled child amount in your claim, you will also be eligible, whether or not you are employed. Cold weather payments are usually available for those who get support for mortgage interest (SMI) and you have; a severe or enhanced disability premium; a pensioner premium; a child who is disabled; child tax credit that includes a disability or severe disability element; or a child under five living with you.
How do I get the payment?
You should get a payment within 14 working days after each period of very cold weather in your area. It will be paid into the same bank or building society account as your benefit payments.
The Cold Weather Payment will not affect your other benefits, so there is no need to worry about losing those if you would like to claim. It is important to note that you will not automatically get Cold Weather Payments and must tell Jobcentre Plus if you get income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance or income-related employment and support allowance and either you've had a baby or a child under five has come to live with you.
If temperatures continue to fall, you can keep an eye on the UK Government's website to see if you're owed anything. If you don't receive your payment and you believe you are eligible, you can contact the pension service or Jobcentre Plus. Those receiving universal credit can sign in to their account and add a note to their journal. Those without an online account can ring the Universal credit helpline instead on 0800 328 5644.
READ NEXT:
