Cold weather payments made to nearly 1.5m households so far this winter

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: “Cold Weather Payments are a vital form of support, but they should be reformed so that the payments credit the energy account of all eligible households on every day that the Met Office declares the minimum temperature will be -4 degrees Celsius or lower on the following day.

“The amount they are paid at should also be reviewed so that any future spikes in volatile gas prices are able to be reflected in the value.

“The payments should be made in advance of the cold weather, on a daily basis, so it gets to people when it is needed, not after the event.”