Social Fund Cold Weather Payments for Great Britain
Statistics have been produced showing some detail of areas where Cold Weather Payments from the Social Fund have been authorised as a result of the weather conditions so far this winter, 2012-13.
These statistics are updated on a regular basis if further payments are authorised. We will continue to publish these updates alongside the original list.
Before using the published figures, please bear in mind:
- Data are based on the estimated number of benefit units, linked to each weather station, which are eligible for Cold Weather Payments.
- The information provided is Management Information. Our preference is to provide Official/National Statistics but in this case we only have Management Information available.
- Management Information is not quality assured to the same extent as Official/National Statistics and there are some issues with the data, for example, figures given are estimates not actual figures and may be revised later.
Cold Weather Payments provide help to people in meeting their additional heating costs during periods of extreme cold.
- Payments are made to those most vulnerable to the cold, i.e. older people in receipt of Pension Credit, disabled adults and children, and families with children under 5 who are in receipt of an income related benefit.
- Payment is made automatically when the average temperature at the weather station linked to an eligible customer's postcode has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0 degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days.
- There are 92 weather stations used in the Cold Weather Payment scheme for 2012-13.
- The rate of payment is £25 for each seven day period of very cold weather.
Click here to access the release published on 22 March 2013. 
Earlier releases are available here
Further information is included in the 2011/12 Social Fund Annual Report which was published in July 2012.
See this link for previous versions of the Annual Report.
The Regulations for the 2012/13 Social Fund Cold Weather Payment scheme are available at the following links:
