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Cold weather payments
tomm
Member Posts: 231 Pioneering
You’ll get a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below for 7 consecutive days.
https://www.gov.uk/cold-weather-payment
What is meant by this vague term "average temp" in your area,IE how does the met office average the daily temps , is it dependent on how many hours each day the temp is at or below 0 c?
Replies
In terms of the legislation, The Social Fund (Cold Weather Payments) (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1988 this is defined as:
"mean daily temperature" means, in respect of a day, the average of the maximum temperature and minimum temperature recorded at a station for that day;"
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So in other words, if today had had a min temp of 0c for 5hrs ,and a max temp of 2c that would not qualify ,where as if the min temp was -2 continuosly for 10hrs then 0c for a furtther 3hrs with a max temp reaching 3c that would qualify as a day towards the 7 consecutive that is required ?
We all know that it can dip below 0c during the hrs of darkness but that typically will not meet the criteria
It is calculated each day. Once you get a day where the average temperature is zero or below the count begins. If the average goes above zero in the next six days the count stops. The count restarts the next day the average temperature reaches zero or below.
The length of time does not matter. They add the lowest temperature to the highest temperature and divide by two.
In the example you gave
(-2+3)/2
1/2
=average day temperature 0.5 so would not count.
Once the seven days is up the count starts again. However due to concerns in the past during severe weather conditions the rules were changed so if the weather forecast for the next 7 days was predicted to meet the criteria a second payment is automatically triggered.
As an individual I stood alone.
As a member of a group I did things.
As part of a community I helped to create change!