The UK Government has been challenged to “get on and deliver” a new social energy tariff when a group set up by Scottish ministers delivers its recommendations.
Holyrood’s Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said the SNP Government in Edinburgh is “getting on” with work in this area.
She insisted a social tariff – which could bring in more affordable energy charges for vulnerable households – is the “best way to actually support people that are having difficulty with energy costs”, and said: “That’s work this Scottish Government along with energy providers is getting on with for the benefit of the UK Government, who should be doing that work”.
The Scottish Government announced last September it was working with energy companies E.On, EDF Energy and Scottish Gas (Centrica), together with consumer organisations, on a working group which aims to design a social energy tariff.
Ms Somerville added that when the working group delivers it recommendations, UK ministers had “better get on and deliver that”.
Her comments came as she updated Holyrood on winter payments being delivered by the Scottish Government.
It has established three separate winter heating payments, the pension age winter heating payment, which replaces the UK’s winter fuel payment, the winter heating payment, which is made to low-income families, and the child winter heating payment, which helps families which have higher energy costs because of a child with an illness or disability.
Ms Somerville said: “In total this winter we are forecast to invest over £65 million in our three winter heating benefits, which will provide vital support to over 630,000 with their energy bills.”
For winter 2025-26, the Scottish Government plans to make a universal payment to all pensioners through the pension age winter heating payment.
Under its plans, all pensioner households will receive at least £100, but those in receipt of certain benefits will get more, with payments rising to either £200 or £300 depending on age.
The move comes after the UK Labour Government scrapped the universal winter fuel payment for pensioners, and Ms Somerville told MSPs: “I am very, very pleased this Government will reintroduce a universal winter heating payment for all pensioner households.
“I think that is exactly what people would expect their Government to do.”
However Scottish Conservative MSP Liz Smith said the payment “is not actually a reinstatement of the previous UK government’s winter heating payment, as that provided £200 to every pensioner and £300 to those over 80 years old”.
Scottish Labour MSP Paul O’Kane claimed the Social Justice Secretary’s statement consisted of “old numbers being put together in a new way to suggest the Scottish Government is taking action”.
Meanwhile a UK Government spokesperson said: “Every family in the country has paid the price of Britain’s dependence on global fossil fuel markets. That is why we are sprinting to clean, homegrown energy, so the UK can take back control of its energy with cleaner, affordable power.
“We are doing everything possible to support vulnerable families, including through the £150 Warm Home Discount – expected to support three million eligible households – and have worked with industry to make available over £500 million in support.
“We will repair Great Britain’s retail energy market and deliver real change, to ensure people have the best possible support to choose more affordable, smarter, clean energy that is right for them.”
