More than 456,000 people in Scotland will receive help with their heating bills at a total cost of £26.8 million this winter.
Winter Heating Payment
The Winter Heating Payment guarantees everyone eligible a payment every year. The Scottish Government benefit, which replaces the UK Government’s Cold Weather Payment, and provides a targeted, reliable and guaranteed annual payment of £58.75 to support people on low incomes with the cost of heating over the winter months. A rise from the UK payment of £25 which was only payable if there were 7 consecutive days when the average of the mean daily temperature recorded was equal to or below zero degrees.
Child Winter Heating Payment
Only available in Scotland, The Child Winter Heating Payment provides help to disabled children and young people and their families who have higher energy needs due to a disability or a health condition. More than 33,000 children, young people and their families have been supported with this payment.
Pension Age Winter Heating Payment
Pension Age Winter Heating Payment provides payments of £200 or £300 to people in receipt of a qualifying benefit, depending on their age, this year. For next year, the Scottish Government will bring forward regulations to ensure every pensioner household receives at least £100 – support which is also not available anywhere else in the UK.
Social Justice Secretary in the Scottish Government Shirley-Anne Somerville said:
“Our Winter Heating Payment breaks the link with arbitrarily-defined weather dependency and provides financial support, no matter the weather.
“This means low-income households will automatically be paid and do not have the uncertainty of waiting for weather readings for seven consecutive days before receiving a payment.”
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