Age UK urges people to check their eligibility as government figures show more than 1m pensioners alone may be missing out on payments to keep them warm at winter
Millions of vulnerable householders risk missing out on payments to help keep them warm during the cold snap.
Cold weather payments of £25 a week are paid automatically to people on low incomes who receive a qualifying benefit, such as pension credit or certain employment benefits, when temperatures sink below 0C for seven consecutive days.
The government has paid out more than £706m since 2010 over recent winters, according to figures from the Department for Work and Pensions, and with energy bills spiralling charities stress it is vital for people to check they are claiming all of their entitlements so that they receive the payments. The DWP has estimated that more than 1 million pensioners may not be claiming pension credit to which they are entitled.
Caroline Abrahams, charity director of Age UK, said: "The winter months can be a particularly harrowing time for older people, especially those who are frail and housebound. Freezing temperatures can pose a serious risk to their health and wellbeing."
People who are unsure if they are entitled to pension credits can check whether they qualify and apply by calling the Pension Service on 0800 99 1234. Lines are open from 8am-8pm Monday-Friday, and from 9am-1pm on Saturdays.
When you phone you need to provide your national insurance number; information about your savings, investments and income; and details of the account into which you would like any pension credit payments to be paid.
Back payments for up to three months can be claimed on pension credit, council tax credit and other benefits, plus the associated cold weather payments triggered during that period.
If you receive income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance and have a child under five you will need to let the job centre know before you receive the payments.
You can find out if you are due to receive a cold weather payment by inputting your postcode on this page on the government's website.