Further Cold Weather Payments to issue

The recent spell of cold weather has triggered further Cold Weather Payments for parts of Northern Ireland.

A further £450,000 will be paid automatically to approximately 18,000 people who qualify for the payment and are living in the post code areas covered by the Met Office’s Thomastown and Castlederg weather stations.

The postcode areas affected are BT74-79, 81-82 and 92-94. 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 14 March 2018.

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.

More information is available on nidirect. 

Notes to editors: 

1.  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.

2. The Cold Weather Payment trigger was reached at Thomastown weather station based on the actual recorded temperature over the seven day period from 25 February 2018 to 3 March 2018. The trigger was reached at Castlederg weather station based on the actual recorded temperature over the seven day period from 26 February 2018 to 4 March 2018.

3. 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.

4. This brings the total amount of Cold Weather Payments paid out by the Department for Communities this winter to £1.9 million.

5. Media enquiries to DfC Press Office on 028 9082 3502. Out of office hours please contact Duty press officer via pager number 07623 974383 and your call will be returned.

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