It comes after millions of pensioners were stripped of their winter fuel allowance in a bid to slash the Government’s benefits bill.
The payment has been proposed as a potential substitute for the winter fuel allowance, which was removed from more than 10 million pensioners to save the Treasury £2.8bn.
This is partly because the cold weather payments were triggered 33 times this winter – up from 31 last year.
The rise in payments has cost the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) £5.5m, analysis by The i Paper has found.
The DWP vowed to continue supporting the most vulnerable, adding that cold weather payments are just one of the measures to target help for low-income households.
Around 150,000 people applied in the 16 weeks after the Chancellor’s announcement – a 145 per cent increase from the previous 16 weeks.
Winter fuel payments will finally be paid to thousands of pensioners... in spring
Read MoreThe remaining backlog of 74,000 claims for pension credit will take many more weeks to clear, The i Paper revealed earlier this month.
A DWP spokesperson said: “We will continue to support the most vulnerable in our society and cold weather payments are just one of the measures to target help for low-income households.
Beyond the winter fuel payment, pensioners have also been supported by the £150 warm home discount, a Government spokesperson told The i Paper.
The extension of the household support fund has also helped the most vulnerable with the cost of food, heating and bills.
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