Last week’s cold snap triggered an estimated £50 million of cold weather payments – the highest figure of the winter.
Nearly two million people across Britain were eligible for the money in the seven days to March 2, new figures show.
Some £7.2 million alone went to residents in the area covered by the Coleshill weather station, which includes Birmingham, Coventry and Dudley.
In total, £90.7 million is estimated to have been paid out across Great Britain since the 2017/18 scheme began, according to the Department for Work and Pensions.
This is well above the amount for 2016/17 (£3.1 million) and 2015/16 (£3.9 million), but still below the £141.7 million paid in 2012/13.
The Government’s cold weather payment scheme runs each year from November 1 to March 31.
Payments are triggered by data collected by the Met Office from 94 weather stations around Britain.
The money is paid to the recipient within 14 days.
Kit Malthouse, minister for family support, housing and child maintenance, said: “As we all experienced last week, extreme weather has the potential to cause a number of problems, but what cold weather shouldn’t do is discourage anyone from turning up their heating to keep warm.
“With nearly £50 million paid out last week alone in cold weather payments, it’s important the most vulnerable people are getting support when they need it most.”
