Northern Ireland Cold Weather Payments Kick In

Temperatures drop triggers Cold Weather Payments A drop in temperature across parts of Northern Ireland has triggered the first of this winter’s Cold Weather Payments. A total of £393,000 will be paid to just under 16,000 people who qualify for the payment in the affected postcode areas which are BT24-BT26 and BT30-BT34. These postcodes are aligned to the Katesbridge weather station and the Met Office has notified the Department that the trigger was reached over the seven day period from 8 December 2017 to 14 December 2017.

Only those qualifying customers living in these postcode areas will receive the £25 payment. The Department for Communities will make the payments automatically and there is no need to make a claim. Customers can expect to receive their payment on Wednesday 20 December 2017.

The Cold Weather Payment is available when the average temperature is recorded, or is forecast to be zero degrees centigrade or below, for a period of seven consecutive days. Notes to editors: To qualify for a Cold Weather payment a person must be receiving:

• State Pension Credit; income related Employment and Support Allowance and are in the Work Related Activity or Support Group; Universal Credit that includes an amount in respect of a disabled child or qualifying young person for at least one day in a period of cold weather; or

• Income Support, income based Jobseekers Allowance or income related Employment and Support Allowance for at least one day in a period of cold weather; and have a dependent child aged under five; have a relevant pensioner or disability premium; be entitled to Child Tax Credit for a child or qualifying young person who is disabled or severely disabled; or

• Universal Credit for at least one day in a period of cold weather, and: where a cold weather payment is payable in relation to a recorded period of cold weather they must not be employed or self-employed on any day during that period and: have a child aged under five; be in receipt of or have an underlying entitlement to Limited Capability for Work or Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity; where a cold weather payment is payable in relation to a forecasted period of cold weather they must not be employed or self-employed on the day that the Meteorological Office supplies the Department with the forecast and: have a child aged under five; be in receipt of or have an underlying entitlement to Limited Capability for Work or Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity.

The Cold Weather Payment trigger was reached at Katesbridge weather station based on a forecast of the temperature over the seven day period from 8 December 2017 to 14 December 2017. The payments are made automatically and people do not have to make a claim. Cold Weather payments are in addition to the Winter Fuel payments of £200 and over, made to people born on or before 5 August 1953.