30/01/2004

Winter weather triggers cold weather payments

Cold Weather Payments are to be paid to approximately 36,000 people in the Mid Ulster and South Eastern regions of Northern Ireland.

The announcement by the Department for Social Development today follows the recent low temperatures recorded over the last week in certain areas of the province.

Payment is based on temperature information provided by the Meteorological Office at Katesbridge that forecast sub-zero temperatures over a seven-day period from 26 January to 1 February 2004.

The areas include Hillsborough, Lisburn, Downpatrick, Banbridge, Newcastle, Armagh, Portadown, and Dungannon. The Department said that the following postal areas of Northern Ireland were affected by the cold spell: BT24 - 28, BT30 - 35, BT60 - 68 and BT71.

People in the areas affected do not need to make a claim for the £8.50 payment as it will be paid automatically by the Social Security Agency to people on Income Support and Income-based JobSeeker's Allowance who are in the qualifying groups.

The Cold Weather Payments will be made during the week commencing 2 February 2004 and are additional to the Winter Fuel Payments of £200 and over, made to people aged over 60 years.

The payments are triggered when the daily temperature is, or is forecast to be, at or below 0°C, for seven consecutive days.

The temperature measurements for Northern Ireland are made by five meteorological stations located at Aldergrove, Ballykelly, Castlederg, Katesbridge, and Enniskillen.

(SP)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

15 November 2024
New Pathway To Support Young People With Diabetes
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has welcomed the launch of a new Regional Young Adults' Progression Pathway designed to support young people with Type 1 diabetes as they transition to adult services.
20 November 2024
Hard-Hitting Road Safety Message Delivered To Young People
Over 800 young people from schools in Lisburn and Castlereagh attended a hard-hitting road safety message at the PSNI Road Safe Roadshow on 19 November. The roadshow, supported by AXA Insurance and the Northern Ireland Road Safety Partnership, aims to educate young drivers about the dangers of irresponsible driving.
19 November 2024
Department Of Health Encourages Self-Care This Winter
The Department of Health is urging people to take steps to care for their health and well-being, especially during the winter months. Health Minister Mike Nesbitt emphasised the importance of self-care, particularly for older adults and individuals with long-term health conditions.
18 November 2024
Other News In Brief
Two Arrested After Dangerous Driving Incident In North Belfast Two men have been arrested following a dangerous driving incident in north Belfast in the early hours of Monday, November 18th. The incident began on the Whitewell Road, where a car was observed driving erratically.
20 November 2024
Roads Service Ready For Winter Weather
Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd has confirmed that the Department's winter service team is prepared to tackle the current cold snap. Around 300 staff and 130 gritters are ready to salt main roads, while 12 snow blowers are available for deployment if necessary. To ensure a comprehensive winter service, the Department has allocated £3.