Freezing Weather in UK May Trigger Extra Payments for Vulnerable Households, Reports Say

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Freezing temperatures, which have been recently recorded across some parts of the United Kingdom, will likely lead to additional government payments for vulnerable households to cover rising heating costs, UK media reported on Friday.

According to British press, eligible households could apply for a so-called Cold Weather Payment of 25 pounds ($31) between November 1 and March 31, if the average temperature falls below 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) over seven consecutive days, which has been the case in some parts of the United Kingdom including northern England and areas in Wales and Northern Ireland. 

The report added that the UK Health Security Agency had declared a level 3 cold weather alert in England until December 12, with some more warnings for snow and ice issued for coming days and temperatures close to -10 degrees Celsius expected in some UK rural areas.

Despite upcoming extra government payments for UK households with lowest incomes, the National Energy Action, a UK fuel poverty charity, urged the government to provide more help for people during the winter.

"We will now start to see just how bleak this winter is going to be. Despite the current program of support, the government must step in with more help for those at greatest peril this winter," the charity's head, Adam Scorer, was quoted by journalists as saying.

Earlier in the year, the UK government adopted a package worth 37 billion pounds to support people in need amid rising costs of living and surging energy prices. It started in November, and millions of people have already received payments of around 320 pounds in aid.

Skyrocketing inflation and fuel prices followed after Britain, the US, and the European Union imposed sanctions on Russia, responding to the start of the military operation in Ukraine. The sanctions exacerbated ongoing issues regarding global energy markets and damaged supply chains worldwide, forcing many countries in Europe to resort to contingency measures.