Latest news with #WinterHeatingPayment
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Families, pensioners and disabled people due between £59 and £305 in one-off payments
Thousands of households will receive additional cash support from the Scottish Government. Last winter over half a million children and families across Scotland enjoyed warmer homes after receiving a total of £37.3million towards their heating bills from Social Security Scotland. Winter Heating Payment (£59.75), Child Winter Heating Payment (£255.80) and Pension Age Winter Heating Payments (between £100 and £305) will be issued again this year to eligible households to help with higher costs over the colder months. The Scottish Government announced earlier this year that all pensioners north of the border will receive at least £100 through the new Pension Age Winter Heating Payment. Older people in receipt of Pension Credit (or another qualifying means-tested benefit) aged between 66 and 79 will receive £203.40 while those aged 80 and over on a qualifying benefit will get £305.10 - payments will land in bank accounts on November 30. Winter Heating Payment is paid automatically to people who get certain low-income benefits, including households with young children, disabled people or older people. It has replaced the Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) Cold Weather Payment in Scotland. It is a guaranteed payment that everyone who is eligible receives, no matter what the weather - Cold Weather Payment is only paid if the average temperature falls - or is forecast to fall - to freezing or below for a full week. Child Winter Heating Payment was introduced by the Scottish Government in November 2020 and is only available in Scotland. It is paid once a year to children and young people if they are under 19-years-old and get certain benefits. The figures, taken from statistics released on April 29 also show that 95 per cent of Winter Heating Payments were made by December 2024 and 93 per cent of Child Winter Heating Payments were made by October 2024. A total of 465,510 Winter Heating Payments, worth £27.3million, were issued in 2024/2025, along with 39,590 Child Winter Heating Payments, worth £10 million. Benefits and payments only available in Scotland in 2025 Below is everything you need to know about devolved benefits and payments with direct links to the dedicated pages on the Social Security Scotland website here. It's important to be aware the new payment rates started on April 7, but as nearly all benefits are paid four weeks in arrears, most people will not see the full uprating until May. Winter Heating Payment - £59.75 annual payment This annual payment replaced the Cold Weather Payment delivered by DWP in 2023 and will be worth £59.75 during winter 2025/26. It is designed to help people on a low income or benefits who might have extra heating needs during the winter - find out more here. Child Winter Heating Payment - £255.80 annual payment This is an annual payment to help families of youngsters up to the age of 19 on the highest rate care component of disability benefits and will be worth £255.80 in winter 2025/26. This payment provides support for people on Disability Living Allowance for Children, Child or Adult Disability Payment and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - find out more here. Just remember, Adult Disability Payment will fully replace PIP by Spring this year so it's included here as there are still people in receipt of the DWP benefits and intended as information only. Pension Age Winter Heating Payment - between £100 and £305.10 annual payment Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will help people of State Pension age in receipt of means-tested benefits such as Pension Credit with higher energy bills during the colder months. It replaces Winter Fuel payments and for winter 2025/26, all pensioners in Scotland will receive a minimum of £100 - find out more here. People aged between 66 and 79 on a qualifying benefit will receive £203. 40 (lower rate) People aged 80 and over on a qualifying benefit will receive £305.10 (higher rate) Scottish Child Payment - £27.15 weekly payment This will be a payment of £27.15 per week, per child from April - £108.60 every four weeks - to help towards the costs of looking after each child under 16 for families who get certain benefits - find out more here. Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment (first child) - £767.50 This is a one-off payment of up to £767.50 from 24 weeks in pregnancy up until a baby turns six months for families who get certain benefits - find out more here. Best Start Grant - Pregnancy and Baby Payment - £383.75 The Subsequent Child Payment and Multiple Pregnancy Supplement payment will be worth £383.75 in 2025.26 - find out more here. Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment - £319.80 This is a one-off payment of £319.80 when a child is between two and three years and six months for families who get certain benefits - find out more here. Best Start Grant School Age Payment - £319.80 This is a one-off payment of £319.80 when a child would normally start primary one for families who get certain benefits - find out more here. Best Start Foods This is a pre-paid card from pregnancy up to when a child turns three for families on certain benefits to help buy healthy food - find out more here. The 2025/26 weekly payment rates are: Higher rate - £10.80 Lower rate - £5.40 Funeral Support Payment This is money towards the costs of a funeral at a difficult time like this for people on certain benefits who are responsible for paying for a funeral. The current average payout is £1,800 - find out more here. Payment rates 2025/26: Standard rate: £1,279.15 Lower rate: £156.10 Medical device removal rate: £25.80 Job Start Payment This is a one-off payment for 16 to 24 year olds who have been on certain benefits for six months or more to help with the costs of starting a job - find out more here. Payment rates: Higher rate: £511.65 Standard rate: £319.80 Child Disability Payment - up to £749 every four weeks This is extra money - up to the value of £749 every four weeks in 2025/26 - to help with the costs of caring for a child with a disability or ill-health condition. It replaces Disability Living Allowance for children in Scotland that was previously delivered by the DWP - find out more here. The 2025/26 weekly payment rates Daily living Lower care award: £29.20 Standard: £73.90 Enhanced: £110.40 Mobility Standard: £29.20 Enhanced: £77.05 Adult Disability Payment - up to £749 every four weeks This is extra money - worth between £116.80 and £749.80 every four weeks - to help people who have a long-term illness or a disability that affects their everyday life. It replaces Personal Independence Payment people in Scotland previously delivered by the DWP - find out more here. 2025/26 weekly payment rates Daily living Standard: £73.90 Enhanced: £110.40 Mobility Standard: £29.20 Enhanced: £77.05 Pension Age Disability Payment - up to £441 every four weeks Pension Age Disability Payment will replace Attendance Allowance by the end of 2025. It has now replaced all new claims for Attendance Allowance in Scotland. People living in Scotland will receive either £73.90 or £110.40 each week - the same rate as Attendance Allowance. it will be paid every four weeks - £295.60, or £441.60 per pay period. Pension Age Disability Payment will support older people who have a disability that means they need assistance with looking after themselves, or supervision to keep them safe. Find out more about the new payment here. Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance - up to £749 every four weeks This is a closed benefit, which means nobody can apply for it and is only for pensioners on Disability Living Allowance transferring from the DWP - find out more here. 2025/26 weekly payment rates Daily living Lower care award: £29.20 Standard: £73.90 Enhanced: £110.40 Mobility Standard: £29.20 Enhanced: £77.05 Young Carer Grant - £390.25 annual payment This is an annual payment of £390.25 for people 16, 17 or 18 who care for people who get a disability benefit from the DWP for an average of 16 hours a week or more - find out more here. Carer's Allowance Supplement - £293.50 paid twice a year This is an automatic payment of £293.50 made twice a year to people who get Carer's Allowance through the DWP on certain dates each year. The first payment of 2025 will be made in June and the next in December - find out more here. Carer Support Payment - £83.30 weekly payment Carer Support Payment is replacing Carer's Allowance for new and existing claimants in Scotland and will be worth £83.30 each week, some £333.20 every four week pay period. Full details about the new benefit can be found here.
Daily Record
26-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Up to £374 one-off payments for people over State Pension age due this year
People over 66 could be eligible for three separate cash payments due over the new financial year. Pension Credit – Could you or someone you know be eligible? People over State Pension age could be due a series of extra payments and energy bill help during the coming months from the Scottish Government and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). There are four cash payments and one which is paid directly to energy suppliers. It's important to be aware that most of these payments will not be issued until later this year, but could be something to factor in now when working out household budgets over the year - especially as energy bills typically increase significantly over the colder months due to higher usage. Pension Age Winter Fuel Payment has now replaced the Winter Fuel Payment for all Scots pensioners. Everyone over the age of 66 will receive at least £100 from the Scottish Government this winter, those on Pension Credit will be due a higher payment of either £203.40 or £305.10, depending on their age. New claims for Pension Credit made before September which later turn out to be successful will qualify for Pension Age Winter Fuel Payment. That date is important because that will guarantee an automatic payment during the designated payment window, any made after that date until mid-December would be paid in arrears. Nearly 1.4 million older people across Great Britain, including more than 125,000 living in Scotland, are currently receiving Pension Credit that could provide an average of £4,300 in extra support during the 2025/26 financial year. Some older people think because they have savings or own their home they would not be eligible for the means-tested benefit, however, an award of just £1 per week is enough to unlock other support. To use the Pension Credit calculator on to see if you should make a clam, you will need details of: earnings, benefits and pensions savings and investments Alternatively, pensioners can contact the Pension Credit helpline directly to make a claim on 0800 99 1234 - lines are open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Full details on here. Financial help for pensioner households in 2025 Financial help on the way during 2025/26 includes: Winter Heating Payment (£59.75) - cash payment issued by the Scottish Government Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (£100 - £305) - cash payment issued by the Scottish Government Winter Fuel Payment (£100 - £300) - cash payments issued by DWP to pensioners in England and Wales only Warm Home Discount (£150) - paid directly from DWP to energy providers and usually added as credit to customer's electricity account DWP Christmas Bonus (£10) - issued by DWP Someone aged between 66 and 79, living in Scotland in receipt of Pension Credit, will receive £273.15 from the three cash payments before the end of March 2026. This is made up of: £203.40 from the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment £59.75 from the Winter Heating Payment £10 DWP Christmas Bonus Someone over 80, living in Scotland in receipt of Pension Credit, will receive £374.86 from the three cash payments before the end of March 2026. This is made up of: £305.10 from the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment £59.75 from the Winter Heating Payment £10 DWP Christmas Bonus Winter Heating Payment (£59.75) - Scotland only Payments were issued in December last year and expected to be around the same time in 2025. You may qualify for Winter Heating Payment automatically if you get one of these benefits: Pension Credit Universal Credit - full guide on eligibility here Income Support or Income based Jobseeker's Allowance - full guide on eligibility here Income Related Employment Support Allowance - full guide on eligibility here Support for Mortgage Interest - full guide on eligibility here The qualifying week for this year's payment will be in early November, typically the first full week - we will update this article once more details have been released. Find out more on the dedicated pages on here. Pension Age Winter Heating Payment - between£100 - £305.10 Every person over State Pension age living in Scotland will automatically receive a one-off heating payment of at least £100 by St Andrew's Day on November 30 - even if they are not in receipt of a means-tested benefit such as Pension Credit. Those aged between 66 and 79 in receipt of Pension Credit will be paid £203.40 Those aged 80 and over in receipt of Pension Credit will be paid £305.10 To be eligible for the 2025 payment, you must have been born before a specific date in September 1959 - this date has still to be confirmed and should only be used as a guide for information. During the qualifying week - expected to be September 21-27 - you must also: live in Scotland, or an eligible country abroad get at least one other, specific benefit on at least one day of the qualifying week Those benefits are: Pension Credit Universal Credit income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) Income Support Payment rates Those aged between 66 and 79 in receipt of Pension Credit will be paid £203.40 Those aged 80 and over in receipt of Pension Credit will be paid £305.10 Winter Fuel Payments - between £200 and £300 (not Scotland) Sir Keir Starmer announced during PMQs last week that the UK Government is looking at ways to ensure 'more pensioners' qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment. The Prime Minister gave no details, but speculation is mounting that Chancellor Rachel Reeves will announce details during the Spending Review on June 11. At present, people over State Pension age in receipt of an income-related benefit such as Pension Credit during the qualifying week of September (usually the final full week) will receive the payment automatically - the money is tax-free and will not affect other benefits. Letters will be sent to eligible pensioner households in October or November telling them how much Winter Fuel Payment they will receive. The amount you receive depends on your age and living arrangements, full details on how winter 2024/25 payments were determined can be found on here. Warm Home Discount - £150 paid to energy provider The Warm Home Discount Scheme for winter 2025 to 2026 usually opens in October and will give people on certain benefits £150 off their electricity bill. The money is paid directly by the DWP to energy suppliers between October and March. Eligible households may also be able to get the discount off their gas bill instead - if their supplier provides them with both gas and electricity, just contact them once the scheme opens to find out. If you're a credit customer the £150 will be added to your electricity account and if you're on Pay As You Go or Prepayment, you'll be sent a voucher that you can use to top-up your meter. Eligibility rules are changing this year to provide the support to more households - you can read about this here. DWP Christmas Bonus - £10 The bonus is a one-off, tax-free £10 payment made to people in receipt of State Pension or those claiming certain other benefits during the qualifying week - usually the first full week of December. Nobody needs to apply for the extra £10 as it should automatically go into the account where you usually receive your State Pension or benefit payment. It is made as a separate payment, independent of your scheduled State Pension or benefit payment, so it may arrive on a different day. Eligible benefits Adult Disability Payment Armed Forces Independence Payment Attendance Allowance Carer's Allowance Carer Support Payment Child Disability Payment Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes) Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim) Disability Living Allowance Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers) Mobility Supplement Pension Credit - the guarantee element Pension Age Disability Payment Personal Independence Payment (PIP) State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit) Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected) Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes) War Disablement Pension at State Pension age War Widow's Pension Widowed Mother's Allowance Widowed Parent's Allowance Widow's Pension Find out more about the Christmas Bonus here.
Glasgow Times
03-05-2025
- General
- Glasgow Times
£6 million paid to help Glasgow residents with heating bills
Social Security Scotland paid a total of £6,227,000 to more than 87,340 people across the city to help with their heating bills in 2024/2025. Winter Heating Payment is paid automatically to those who receive certain low-income benefits, including households with young children, disabled people, or older people. Read more: Glasgow charity helping pupils from different faiths work together The payment replaced the Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) Cold Weather Payment in Scotland. Winter Heating Payment is a guaranteed payment that everyone who is eligible receives, regardless of the weather. For 2024/2025, a total of 81,655 Winter Heating Payments, worth £4,797,000, were made. As well as 5,685 Child Winter Heating Payments, worth £1,430,000. The figures, taken from statistics released on April 29, show that 95 per cent of Winter Heating Payments were made by last December and 93 per cent of Child Winter Heating Payments were made by last October. Read more: Plan to dispose of Glasgow City Council building sparks fear over 'loss' Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: "We have issued over 505,100 payments to families on low incomes, and those supporting children or young people with a disability, to help with the cost of heating their homes. "Many people are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and higher energy bills. "The importance of these payments was brought home to everyone this month with the Energy Price Cap rising by 6.4 per cent. "Ofgem estimates that this will add £9.25 a month to the typical household's energy bill. "This year we will also be providing extra support to pensioners. "While the DWP's Winter Fuel Payment will only be available to some pensioners, Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will provide money to every pensioner household in the country. "The Scottish Government will continue to protect pensioners and people on low incomes in Scotland."
Daily Record
02-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Over 32,000 South Lanarkshire kids and families get slice of £2.4m for heating bills
Social Security Scotland helped them to enjoy warmer homes. Last winter over 32,140 children and families across South Lanarkshire enjoyed warmer homes after receiving a total of £2,445,500 towards their heating bills from Social Security Scotland. Winter Heating Payment is paid automatically to people who get certain low-income benefits, including households with young children, disabled people or older people. It has replaced the Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) Cold Weather Payment in Scotland. It is a guaranteed payment that everyone who is eligible receives, no matter what the weather. Cold Weather Payment is only paid if the average temperature falls or is forecast to fall - to freezing or below for a full week. Child Winter Heating Payment was introduced by the Scottish Government in November 2020 and is only available in Scotland. It is paid once a year to children and young people if they are under 19 years old and get certain benefits. A total of 29,250 Winter Heating Payments, worth £1,718,500 were made for 2024/2025, along with 2890 Child Winter Heating Payments, worth £727,000. The figures, taken from statistics released on April 29, also show that 95 per cent of Winter Heating Payments were made by December 2024 and 93 per cent of Child Winter Heating Payments were made by October 2024. Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: 'We have issued over 505,100 payments to families on low incomes, and those supporting children or young people with a disability, to help with the cost of heating their homes. 'Many people are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and higher energy bills. The importance of these payments was brought home to everyone this month with the Energy Price Cap rising by 6.4 per cent. Ofgem estimates that this will add £9.25 a month to the typical household's energy bill. 'This year we will also be providing extra support to pensioners. While the DWP's Winter Fuel Payment will only be available to some pensioners, Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will provide money to every pensioner household in the country. The Scottish Government will continue to protect pensioners and people on low incomes in Scotland.' Winter Heating Payment is paid automatically to people who were getting any of these benefits during the qualifying week: Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, Income-based Jobseekers Allowance and Support for Mortgage Interest. Some restrictions apply for some of these benefits. For example, for those qualifying through Income Support may also have to have a child under five, a disability premium or a pensioner premium. Children and young people in Scotland can get Child Winter Heating Payment if they are under 19 years old and get one of the following qualifying benefits: Highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment, highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance for children, enhanced rate of the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment and enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment. They must be getting this on at least one day in the week starting with the third Monday of September (called the 'qualifying week'). In 2024, this was Monday to Sunday, September 16 to 22. The qualifying week for Winter Heating Payment was Monday to Sunday, November 4 to 10. A universal Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will be introduced in winter 2025/2026 for all pensioner households in Scotland. This universal payment will provide much-needed support not available anywhere else in the UK and will support older people across Scotland. From winter 2025/26, pensioners in Scotland in receipt of a relevant qualifying benefit, such as Pension Credit, and who will receive payments of £200 or £300 this winter, depending on their age, will continue to receive those payments automatically.
Daily Record
01-05-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Nearly 40,000 North Lanarkshire children and families received £2.8m towards heating bills last winter
Social Security Scotland's Winter Heating Payment is paid automatically to people who get certain low-income benefits, including households with young children, disabled people or older people. Last winter more than 38,975 children and families across North Lanarkshire enjoyed warmer homes after receiving a total of £2,899,000 towards their heating bills from Social Security Scotland. Winter Heating Payment is paid automatically to people who get certain low-income benefits, including households with young children, disabled people or older people. It has replaced the Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) Cold Weather Payment in Scotland. It is a guaranteed payment that everyone who is eligible receives, no matter what the weather. Cold Weather Payment is only paid if the average temperature falls - or is forecast to fall - to freezing or below for a full week. Child Winter Heating Payment was introduced by the Scottish Government in November 2020 and is only available in Scotland. It is paid once a year to children and young people if they are under 19 years old and get certain benefits. A total of 35,815 Winter Heating Payments, worth £2,104,000, were made for 2024/2025, along with 3160 Child Winter Heating Payments, worth £795,000. The figures also show that 95 per cent of Winter Heating Payments were made by December 2024 and 93 per cent of Child Winter Heating Payments were made by October last year. Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: 'We have issued over 505,100 payments to families on low incomes, and those supporting children or young people with a disability, to help with the cost of heating their homes. 'Many people are struggling with the cost of living crisis and higher energy bills. "The importance of these payments was brought home to everyone this month with the Energy Price Cap rising by 6.4 per cent. "Ofgem estimates that this will add £9.25 a month to the typical household's energy bill. 'This year we will also be providing extra support to pensioners. "While the DWP's Winter Fuel Payment will only be available to some pensioners, Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will provide money to every pensioner household in the country. "The Scottish Government will continue to protect pensioners and people on low incomes in Scotland.' *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
