The cold weather payments are given out when temperatures are recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees or lower for seven consecutive days, usually between November 1 and March 31. Eligible Britons are entitled to additional funds for heating their homes. The money is intended to assist people in covering the cost of heating their houses during colder months.

Cold weather payments are given to Britons (Photo: Express UK)
The payments have already been distributed to eligible households in which they get £25 or $30.97 for each seven-day period. However, Scotland has replaced the cold weather placement with Winter Heating Payment, in which eligible households can get an annual £50 or $61.95.
It is worth checking if you are qualified to get the payment. The following are some of the criteria for qualifying the payment scheme, you can also check out The U.S. Sun for the complete list:
Pension credit | Have a disability or be in receipt of a pension premium |
Income support | Have a child who is disabled |
Universal Credit | Be in receipt of a child tax credit that includes a disability or severe disability element |
Support for mortgage interest | Have a child under five living with you |
Each time there is particularly cold weather in your area, those who qualify for the program will get a £25 payment which must be received within 14 business days. The money is deposited into the same bank or building society account used to pay benefits, so it has no bearing on any additional allowances you might be entitled to.