Cold snap hits: What will it mean for your money?

Storm Goretti is on the way and the UK is bracing itself for heavy snowfall, strong winds and sub-zero temperatures.

And that means weather warnings are in place, schools are being closed and many people are facing travel disruption.

But a cold snap like this can also lead to financial worries.

My kids are off school because of the snow - will I still get paid?

Many schools have already closed their doors because of the severe weather.

And as a result, parents are either scrambling to arrange last-minute childcare or take time off work.

Under the Employment Rights Act, parents are allowed to take time off if there’s an unexpected disruption to childcare arrangements.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be paid.

That’s down to your employer.

So check what the policy is in your workplace, and factor potential lost income into your household budget where you can.

Travel disruption - what could it cost me?

Snow and ice can lead to cancelled trains, delayed buses and unsafe driving conditions.

That can mean:

• paying for alternative transport at short notice
• losing money on non-refundable travel or childcare
• higher fuel use if you’re driving in cold weather

So if you rely on public transport, check whether your ticket is refundable or if your operator offers compensation for delays. 

And if you’re driving, make sure you’ve got enough fuel, screenwash and antifreeze to avoid breakdown costs, and check your battery, tyre pressure and fluid levels before setting off.

I’m struggling with energy bills - should I turn the heating on?

If you’re finding it hard to keep up with energy bills, you might be tempted to keep your heating off, despite the freezing temperatures.

But living in a cold home can be bad for your health and it’s recommended that you keep your thermostat set to between 18°C and 21°C, even if you’re trying to save money,

It’s also important to keep the heating on during cold snaps, even if you’re away for a few days, because water expands as it freezes.

So if the temperature inside the house drops low enough, the water sitting inside your plumbing can freeze, expand and burst the pipes.

And that could cause thousands of pounds worth of damage to your home and possessions.

Worse still, you might not even get a payout on your home insurance if the worst happens, as keeping the heating turned off in cold weather could invalidate your policy.

It’s also important to know where your main stopcock is, just in case a pipe does burst.

Just make sure that everyone in your home knows how to turn it off.

Are there other ways to stay warm that don’t cost much?

Alongside keeping the heating on at a safe level, there are plenty of low-cost ways to keep you and your home warm, such as:

• sealing draughts around doors and windows
• bleeding radiators so they work more efficiently
• wearing extra layers and thermal clothing indoors
• using hot water bottles or electric throws
• stocking up on warming meals like soups and stews

Can I get help with my energy costs?

If you're worried about covering the cost of heating, then get in touch with your energy supplier.

You may be able to apply for a grant or hardship fund from your supplier, or get emergency credit if you’re on a prepayment meter.

It could also be worth joining the Priority Services Register for extra help.

For more information on steps to take if you’ve fallen behind with your gas and electricity bill payments, read our guide on what to do about energy arrears.

Can I get a cold weather payment?

When it gets this cold, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) issues cold weather payments to help low-income or eligible households.

A cold weather payment is a one-off payment of £25 made for every seven-day period when temperatures in your area are at or below zero degrees.

If you’re eligible for the payment, you’ll receive it automatically within 14 working days of the cold period.

Payments have so far been triggered in nearly 700 postcode areas.

You can find out if they've been activated in your area on GOV.UK or on the list below.

30 December

CA9, CA10, CA11, CA12, CA16, CA17, DG14, LA8, LA9, LA10, LA21, LA22, LA23, NE19, NE47, NE48, NE49, TD9.

1 January

AL1, AL2, AL3, AL4, AL5, AL6, AL7, AL8, AL9, AL10, BB4, BB8, BB9, BB10, BB11, BB12, BB18, BD1, BD2, BD3, BD4, BD5, BD6, BD7, BD8, BD9, BD10, BD11, BD12, BD13, BD14, BD15, BD16, BD17, BD18, BD19, BD20, BD21, BD22, BN5, BN6, BN44, CB8, CB9, CO1, CO2, CO3, CO4, CO5, CO6, CO7, CO8, CO10, CO11, CO12, CO13, CO14, CO15, CO16, DE4, DE6, DE45, EN6, GU5, GU6, HD3, HD7, HD8, HD9, HP1, HP2, HP3, HP4, HP5, HP6, HP7, HP8, HP9, HP10, HP11, HP12, HP13, HP14, HP15, HP16, HP17, HP18, HP19, HP20, HP21, HP22, HP23, HP27, HX1, HX2, HX3, HX4, HX5, HX6, HX7, IP1, IP2, IP3, IP4, IP5, IP6, IP7, IP8, IP9, IP10, IP11, IP12, IP13, IP14, IP15, IP16, IP17, IP18, IP19, IP20, IP21, IP22, IP23, IP29, IP30, IP31, IP32, IP33, LS21, LS29, LU1, LU2, LU3, LU4, LU5, LU6, LU7, ME6, ME14, ME15, ME16, ME17, ME18, ME19, ME20, OL13, OL14, OX9, OX10, OX33, OX39, OX44, OX49, RG9, RH1, RH2, RH3, RH4, RH5, RH6, RH7, RH8, RH9, RH10, RH11, RH12, RH13, RH14, RH15, RH16, RH17, RH18, RH19, RH20, S32, S33, S36, SG1, SG2, SG3, SG4, SG12, SG13, SG14, SK13, SK17, SK22, SK23, SL7, SL8, SL9, ST8, ST9, ST10, ST11, ST13, TN1, TN2, TN3, TN4, TN5, TN6, TN7, TN8, TN9, TN10, TN11, TN12, TN13, TN14, TN15, TN16, TN17, TN18, TN19, TN20, TN22, TN27, WD3, WD4, WD5, WD6, WD7, WD17, WD18, WD19, WD23, WD24, WD25  

2 January

BD23, BD24, CB1, CB2, CB3, CB4, CB5, CB6, CB7, CB10, CB11, CB21, CB22, CB23, CB24, CB25, CF37, CF38, CF39, CF40, CF41, CF42, CF43, CF44, CF45, CF46, CF47, CF48, CF81, CF82, CF83, CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, CM5, CM6, CM7, CM8, CM9, CM11, CM12, CM13, CM14, CM15, CM16, CM17, CM18, CM19, CM20, CM21, CM22, CM23, CM24, CM77, CO9, DH1, DH6, DH7, DH8, DH9, DL4, DL5, DL8, DL11, DL12, DL13, DL14, DL15, DL16, DL17, IP24, IP25, IP26, IP27, IP28, LD3, MK1, MK2, MK3, MK4, MK5, MK6, MK7, MK8, MK9, MK10, MK11, MK12, MK13, MK14, MK15, MK16, MK17, MK18, MK19, MK40, MK41, MK42, MK43, MK44, MK45, MK46, NE18, NE20, NE44, NE45, NE46, NN1, NN2, NN3, NN4, NN5, NN6, NN7, NN8, NN9, NN10, NN11, NN12, NN13, NN29, NP4, NP11, NP12, NP13, NP22, NP23, NP24, NP44, NR1, NR2, NR3, NR4, NR5, NR6, NR7, NR8, NR9, NR10, NR11, NR12, NR13, NR14, NR15, NR16, NR17, NR18, NR19, NR20, NR21, NR22, NR23, NR24, NR25, NR26, NR27, NR28, NR29, NR30, NR31, NR32, NR33, NR34, NR35, PE12, PE13, PE14, PE19, PE30, PE31, PE32, PE33, PE34, PE35, PE36, PE37, PE38, RM4, SG5, SG6, SG7, SG8, SG9, SG10, SG11, SG15, SG16, SG17, SG18, SG19, TS21, TS28, TS29

3 January

LL20, LL21, LL23, SY10, SY15, SY16, SY17, SY19, SY21, SY22

6 January

CA9, CA10, CA11, CA12, CA16, CA17, DG14, LA8, LA9, LA10, LA21, LA22, LA23, NE19, NE47, NE48, NE49, TD9

7 January

CA1, CA2, CA3, CA4, CA5, CA6, CA7, CA8, DG16, BH1, BH2, BH3, BH4, BH5, BH6, BH7, BH8, BH9, BH10, BH11, BH12, BH13, BH14, BH15, BH16, BH17, BH18, BH19, BH20, BH21, BH22, BH23, BH24, BH25, BH31, DT1, DT2, DT11, SP6, CW1, CW2, CW3, CW5, CW12, SK10, SK11, ST1, ST2, ST3, ST4, ST5, ST6, ST7, ST12, ST14, ST15, ST16, ST17, ST18, ST19, ST20, ST21,CV36, GL54, GL55, GL56, OX7, OX15, OX16, OX17, WR12, LD1, LD2, LD4, LD5, LD6, LD7, LD8, SA19, SA20, SY7, SY9, SY18, BL0, BL1, BL2, BL3, BL4, BL5, BL6, BL7, BL8, BL9, M24, M26, OL1, OL2, OL3, OL4, OL5, OL6, OL7, OL8, OL9, OL10, OL11, OL12, OL15, OL16, SK15, CW4, CW6, CW7, CW8, CW9, CW10, CW11, M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M6, M7, M8, M9, M11, M12, M13, M14, M15, M16, M17, M18, M19, M20, M21, M22, M23, M25, M27, M28, M29, M30, M31, M32, M33, M34, M35, M38, M40, M41, M43, M44, M45, M46, M50, M90, PR7, SK1, SK2, SK3, SK4, SK5, SK6, SK7, SK8, SK9, SK12, SK14, SK16, WA1, WA2, WA3, WA4, WA5, WA6, WA7, WA8, WA9, WA10, WA11, WA12, WA13, WA14, WA15, WA16, WN1, WN2, WN3, WN4, WN5, WN6, WN7, WN8, SY1, SY2, SY3, SY4, SY5, SY6, SY11, SY12, SY13, TF1, TF2, TF3, TF4, TF5, TF6, TF7, TF8, TF9, TF10, TF11, TF12, TF13, LE15, NN14, NN15, NN16, NN17, NN18, PE1, PE2, PE3, PE4, PE5, PE6, PE7, PE8, PE9, PE15, PE16, PE26, PE27, PE28, PE29, BT24, BT25, BT26, BT30, BT31, BT32, BT33, BT34