Heavy snow warnings trigger ‘cold weather payments’ for THOUSANDS across the UK

Thousands across the UK will receive a “cold weather payment” from the government due to freezing conditions as the Met Office continues to issue severe weather warnings across the country.

The Met Office this week has issued several weather warnings as temperatures could fall to as low as -10C.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a Level 3 cold weather alert covering England until Monday.

The Met Office has warned motorists that wintry showers will create hazardous, icy patches on some roads over the coming days during the cold snap.

The forecaster has extended Thursday’s yellow weather warning for snow and ice in Northern Scotland until 12pm on Sunday.

It comes after thundersnow, a phenomenon when thunderstorms form in wintry conditions and sometimes give rise to heavy snow downpours, was observed in Scotland on Thursday, it said.

Yellow warnings for ice in coastal and northern England and parts of Wales and Northern Ireland have also been issued for Friday.

The icy conditions in coastal England and parts of Northern Ireland and Wales are expected to continue into Saturday, it has warned.

The Government payments have been triggered for eligible households in areas where the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0C or below over seven consecutive days.

The Department for Work and Pensions said a payment of £25 for each seven day period of cold weather will be in eligible people’s bank account within 14 days of the trigger.

A DWP spokesman said: “These additional payments provide support every year to help people experiencing the coldest weather.

“Cold weather payments can be triggered right through to the end of March, giving people facing disproportionately cold weather that extra reassurance over the chillier months.”

Those eligible include people claiming pension credit, income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance, income-related employment and support allowance, universal credit and support for mortgage interest, DWP guidance says.

It said cold weather payments have been triggered in areas across the North West, including in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, in parts of the South West, such as near Exeter, and in Nottingham in the East Midlands, among others.

Parts of Powys in east-central Wales, Oxfordshire and Herefordshire, also have affected postcodes.

The cold weather payments are only paid in England and Wales.

In Scotland, people on benefits or low incomes may qualify for an annual £50 winter heating payment, though this is made irrespective of cold temperatures.

The full list of postcodes triggered this week are:

December 5, 2022

• Redesdale- CA9, DH8, NE19, NE47-49
• Shap - CA10-12, CA16-17, LA8-10, LA21-23
• Yeovilton - BA4-10, BA16, BA20-22, BS25-28, DT9-10, SP8, TA1-20, TA23
• Benson - HP5-23, HP27, OX9,OX10,OX33, OX39,OX44, OX49, RG9, SL7-9
• Bingley- BB4, BB8-12, BB18, BD1-22, HD3, HD7-9, HX1-7, LS21, LS29, OL13-14, S36
• Exeter Airport - EX1-12, EX24, TQ1-6, TQ9, TQ12, TQ14
• Libanus - NP4, NP11-13, NP22-24, NP44, SA9
• Rochdale - L0-9, M24, M26, OL1-12, OL15-16,SK15
• Rostherne - CW4, CW6-11, M1-9, M11-23, M25, M27-35, M38, M40-41, M43-46, M50, M90, PR7, SK1-12, SK14, SK16, WA1-16, WN1-8
• Trawsgoed - LL35-40, SY20, SY23-25

December 6, 2022

• Albemarie - DH1-7, DH9, DL4-5, DL14-17, NE1-13, NE15-18, NE20-21, NE23, NE25-46, SR1-7, TS21, TS28-29
• Almondsbury - BS1-11, BS13-16, BS20-24, BS29-32, BS34-37, BS39-41, BS48-49, GL11-13, NP16, NP26
• Bainbridge - BD23-24, DL8, DL11-13
• Carlise - CA1-8, DG12, DG16
• Coleshill - B1-21, B23-38, B40, B42-50, B60-80, B90-98, CV1-12, CV21-23, CV31-35, CV3 CV47, DY1-14, LE10, WS1-15, WV1-16
• Hereford - GL1-6, GL10, GL14-20, GL50-53, HR1-9, NP7-8, NP15, NP25, SY8, WR1-11, WR13-15
• Keele - CW1-3, CW5, CW 12, ST1-8, ST11-12, ST14-21
• Leek Thorncliffe - DE4, DE45, S32-33, SK13, SK17, SK22-23, ST9-10, ST13
• Little Rissington - CV36, GL54-56, OX7, OX15-17, WR12
• Llysdinam - LD1-2, LD4-8, SA19-20, SY7, SY9, SY18
• Pembury Sands - SA1-8, SA14-18, SA31-34, SA61-63, SA66-73
• Shawbury - SY1-6, SY11-13, TF1-13
• Stonyhurst - BB1-3, BB5-7, LA2, LA6-7, PR6
• Stowe - NN1-7 NN11-13, MK18
• Walney Island - LA1, LA3-5, LA11-20
• Westonbirt - BA1-3, BA11, BA13-15, GL7-9, RG17, SN1-6, SN8-16, SN25-26
• Woburn - MK1-17, MK19, MK40-46, NN8-10, NN29, PE19, SG5-7, SG15-19