Cold Weather Payments: spending and claimants by year
Spending on Cold Weather Payments each financial year, in cash terms, from DWP's benefit expenditure tables, with the number of people receiving it where DWP gives a caseload.
£36 million
DWP's benefit expenditure tables record spending on Cold Weather Payments of £36 million in 2024/25, in cash terms. The first year with spending in the tables is 1989/90 (£0.4 million). Cash spending was highest in 2010/11, at £435 million.
Spending and caseload by year
| Year | Spending (cash) | Change on previous year | Caseload (thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | £36 million | +20.3% | |
| 2023/24 | £30 million | -78.5% | |
| 2022/23 | £140 million | +34,825.0% | |
| 2021/22 | £0.4 million | -99.6% | |
| 2020/21 | £99 million | +49,250.0% | |
| 2019/20 | £0.2 million | -99.3% | |
| 2018/19 | £27 million | -76.4% | |
| 2017/18 | £114 million | +3,471.9% | |
| 2016/17 | £3.2 million | -15.8% | |
| 2015/16 | £3.8 million | -65.5% | |
| 2014/15 | £11 million | +31.0% | |
| 2013/14 | £8.4 million | -94.1% | |
| 2012/13 | £142 million | +10.1% | |
| 2011/12 | £129 million | -70.4% | |
| 2010/11 | £435 million | +46.0% | |
| 2009/10 | £298 million | +41.3% | |
| 2008/09 | £211 million | +5,177.5% | |
| 2007/08 | £4 million | +17.6% | |
| 2006/07 | £3.4 million | -61.4% | |
| 2005/06 | £8.8 million | +388.9% | |
| 2004/05 | £1.8 million | -71.4% | |
| 2003/04 | £6.3 million | -55.3% | |
| 2002/03 | £14 million | -11.9% | |
| 2001/02 | £16 million | -45.8% | |
| 2000/01 | £30 million | +2,850.0% | |
| 1999/00 | £1 million | ||
| 1998/99 | £0 million | -100.0% | |
| 1997/98 | £0.6 million | -98.5% | |
| 1996/97 | £41 million | -31.7% | |
| 1995/96 | £60 million | ||
| 1994/95 | £0 million | -100.0% | |
| 1993/94 | £12 million | -20.3% | |
| 1992/93 | £15 million | -34.3% | |
| 1991/92 | £23 million | +170.9% | |
| 1990/91 | £8.6 million | +2,050.0% | |
| 1989/90 | £0.4 million |
Source: DWP expenditure tables, Tables 1a and 1c. About these figures · CSV
Sources and receipts
- Benefit expenditure and caseload tables: outturn and forecast, Spring Forecast 2026, Department for Work and Pensions.
File: outturn-and-forecast-tables-spring-forecast-2026.xlsx. Read 2026-10-15. SHA-256
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