The Scottish Government has confirmed that more than 456,000 people on low incomes will receive Winter Heating Payments of £58.75 before the end of next month. Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville is set to tell ministers at Holyrood how £26.8 million is being spent on the annual one-off payment to help households cover the costs of higher energy bills during the colder months.
Ms Somerville said the 2024/25 payment “more than triples” the average amount invested by the UK Government in Cold Weather Payments in each of the seven years before the Winter Heating Payment was introduced in 2022/23. Speaking before the announcement, Ms Somerville explained this was because the devolved payment is paid to low-income households “whatever the weather”.
Cold Weather Payments are issued by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) only when temperatures fall to or below zero degrees celsius for seven consecutive days. Ms Somerville said this demonstrated that the Scottish Government was “doing more” to support Scots through the winter months.
Under the Winter Heating Payment, all low-income households in Scotland will receive an annual payment of £58.75 this year to help with energy costs during the winter.
Ms Somerville said: “When we asked people they told us they overwhelmingly supported the removal of the ‘cold spell’ requirement for the UK Government’s Cold Weather Payment. 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.
“More than 453,000 people got Winter Heating Payment last winter from the Scottish Government thanks to an investment of £25 million. This winter we will invest even more – £26.8 million.”
She added: “That more than triples the £8.5 million provided on average by the Department for Work and Pensions in each of the last seven years prior to the introduction of our payment.
“Our Winter Heating Payment is a very clear example of how this Scottish Government is doing more to support the people of Scotland throughout the long, cold winter months.”
Ms Somerville will also tell Parliament that the Scottish Government is set to invest more than £65 million in total across its three winter heating benefits this year:
- Child Winter Heating Payment
- Pension Age Winter Heating Payment
- Winter Heating Payment
Child Winter Heating Payment supports disabled children and young people under the age of 19 and their families who have higher energy needs due to a disability or health condition. Some 37,000 payments totalling £9.3 million have been made under the scheme so far this year.
Meanwhile the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment provides payments of £200 or £300 to people of State Pension age who receive means-tested benefits such as Pension Credit.
The Scottish Government is expected to bring forward regulations to ensure that all pensioners in Scotland will receive at least £100 to help them heat their homes over winter 2025/26.