Colletta Smith
Cost of living correspondent

Image source, PA Media

A second round of Cold Weather Payments is being made to people on benefits in some areas across the north of England.

The same postcode areas have been triggered as those who received pay-outs during the last cold snap in November.

The payments are made when a period of seven days of zero or below temperatures are forecast or recorded.

It means an automictic payment of £25 arrives directly into people’s bank accounts if they receive certain benefits, including Pension Credit and Universal Credit, to help them afford the cost of extra heating during particularly cold weather.

Areas in England along the Scottish border, including Carlisle, Shap, and Northumberland, had payments triggered on last week because of this week’s freezing forecasts, so recipients should receive the money by the end of next week.

People in the same areas had payments triggered on 17 or 18 of November, bringing the total pay-outs this winter to £50 per recipient in those areas.

The payment system is different in Scotland, with a single Winter Heating Payment of £58.75 being made automatically to all eligible benefits recipients between December and February whatever the weather.