Pension Age Winter Heating Payments will be brought in next year for every pensioner household in Scotland.

The UK Labour Government has cut winter heating payments for pensioners with many older people no longer getting that vital financial support.

The new benefit from the SNP Scottish Government will be paid to all of Scotland’s pensioner households.

Pensioners in receipt of a relevant qualifying benefit, such as Pension Credit will recieve Pension Age Winter Heating Payments of £300 or £200, depending on their age.

All other pensioner households will receive £100 from next winter.

Every Labour MP in Scotland voted to cut the winter fuel payments, with the exception of two, who were absent from the vote – which is the same thing as voting for the cut. It will have serious consequences for the health of many older people in Scotland.

Rise in Pensioner Poverty as Labour’s Cuts to Winter Fuel Payments Comes into Force

Support this winter being provided in Scotland

£20 million will be provided to local councils by the Scottish Government from the Scottish Welfare Fund, to enable councils to provide more vital support to people in crisis this winter.

£20 million will be invested into the Warmer Homes Scotland Scheme, the national fuel poverty scheme which helps people install energy efficiency measures and more efficient heating systems.

£1 million of grant funding will be made available to registered social landlords and third sector partners to fund work to help sustain tenancies and prevent homelessness.

The Universal Benefit to Scotland’s pensioner households will be brought in next year and is unique to Scotland.

Social Justice Secretary in the Scottish Government Shirley-Anne Somerville said:

“This universal benefit – providing much needed support not available anywhere else in the UK – will deliver support for all pensioner households as we had always intended to do before the UK Government decision to means-test Winter Fuel Payments cut the funding available to support our new benefit in Scotland this winter by £147 million.

“We will not abandon older people this winter or any winter. We will do our best to make sure no-one has to make a decision between heating and eating, and we will continue to protect pensioners”.