More than 456,000 people on low incomes are due to receive Winter Heating Payments (WHP) this year to help them through the “long, cold winter months”, ministers will tell the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville will say the £26.8 million being spent on WHP in 2024/25 “more than triples” the average amount invested by the UK Government in Cold Weather Payments (CWP) in each of the seven years before WHP was introduced in 2022/23.
Speaking before the announcement, Ms Somerville explained this was because the WHP is paid to low-income households “whatever the weather”.
The CWP is paid only when temperatures fall to or below zero degrees celsius for seven consecutive days.
This demonstrated, Ms Somerville said, that the Government was “doing more” to support Scots through the winter months.
Under the WHP, all low-income households in Scotland will receive an annual payment of £58.75 this year to help with heating 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 CWP.
“Our WHP 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 WHPs last winter from the Scottish Government thanks to an investment of £25 million.
“This winter we will invest even more – £26.8 million – for WHP.
“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 WHP 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 Government is set to invest more than £65 million in total across its three winter heating benefits this year, including the Child Winter Heating Payment (CWHP), Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP), and WHP.
The CWHP supports disabled children and young people and their families who have higher energy needs due to a disability or health condition.
37,000 payments totalling £9.3 million have been made under the CWHP scheme so far this year.
Meanwhile the PAWHP provides payments of £200 or £300 to people of pension age who receive certain benefits.
The Government is expected to bring forward regulations to ensure that for next year all pensioners in Scotland will receive at least £100 to help them heat their homes.
