Cold Weather Payment 2024 scheme opens in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

The Cold Weather Payment 2024 scheme opened in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in November 2024, according to the benefits changes timetable published by Turn2us¹. The scheme runs alongside other winter support, including the Winter Fuel Payment, which eligible pensioners across the UK began receiving in the same month¹.

The Cold Weather Payment is one of several winter-related payments listed in the timetable. In Scotland, the Child Winter Heating Payment was expected to be paid to eligible families in November 2024, and the Winter Heating Payment was due to be paid to eligible households in December 2024¹. The Warm Home Discount Scheme opened for applications in October 2024¹.

The timetable also sets out changes affecting carers. In Scotland, the new benefit Carer's Support Payment became available nationally in November 2024, with people on Carer's Allowance continuing to be automatically transferred to it¹. Carer's Allowance claimants in Scotland had begun transferring to Carer Support Payment from February 2024¹. In December 2024, people who get Carer's Support Payment or Carer's Allowance were to be paid the second Carer's Allowance Supplement payment of 2024¹.

Other changes listed for 2024 include the extension of the £2,500 surplus earnings threshold within Universal Credit until March 2024¹, and increases in the Administrative Earnings Threshold to £743 per month for single people and £1,189 per month for couples in April 2024, then to £892 per month for single people and £1,437 per month for couples in May 2024¹. Free childcare hours were extended: working parents of two year olds could access 15 hours from April 2024, and 15 hours were extended to all children from the age of nine months from September 2024¹.

On disability benefits, Attendance Allowance in Scotland was replaced by the Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP), available in five council areas from 21 October 2024 and across Scotland in April 2025¹. Across the UK, people on income-related ESA, ESA with Housing Benefit, income-based JSA, and JSA with Housing Benefit began receiving Universal Credit migration notices in October 2024, and people above State Pension age who get Tax Credits began receiving migration notices to apply for Universal Credit or Pension Credit in September 2024¹.

Why it matters for households

The Cold Weather Payment is a winter payment for people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who receive certain means-tested benefits. The scheme opening in November 2024 means payments can be triggered during cold weather spells over the winter period¹. Separate arrangements apply in Scotland, where the Winter Heating Payment and Child Winter Heating Payment operate instead¹.

The wider timetable shows several changes taking effect over the same period. Carers in Scotland moved to Carer's Support Payment, with automatic transfers from Carer's Allowance¹. Pension-age households in Scotland saw Attendance Allowance replaced by the Pension Age Disability Payment in five council areas from 21 October 2024, ahead of national rollout in April 2025¹. Working parents saw free childcare hours extended to younger children during 2024¹.

What happens next

The timetable lists further dates into 2025. The Pension Age Disability Payment was due to become available across Scotland in April 2025¹. The Carer's Allowance Supplement payment for 2024 was paid in December 2024¹. The Winter Heating Payment in Scotland was paid to eligible households in December 2024¹.