The Scottish Government has shared a new update for more than 415,000 people on a low income who are due to receive a one-off payment for £50 to help with heating bills this winter. The new Winter Heating Payment will be administered by Social Security Scotland and replaces the £25 Cold Weather Payment delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Payments were originally expected to land in bank accounts this month, but in an update last week the Scottish Government said these will now be made over February and March. Updated guidance on MyGov.Scot now advises that eligible individual's will now receive a letter from Social Security Scotland before the payment is made.
The payment will appear in bank accounts and statements with the reference code 'WHP'. If you are currently eligible for the Cold Weather Payment from DWP and your circumstances have not changed, you should be eligible for a Winter Heating payment, however, there is a qualifying period for the new payment which many people may not be aware of.
Cold Weather Payments of £25 are sent automatically to people on a low income or certain benefits each time temperatures are recorded or forecast at below zero degrees Celsius for seven consecutive days in their local area between November 1 and March 31.
The new £50 Winter Heating Payment will be made every year, irrespective of temperature.
Guidance on Scot.Gov states: “Social Security Scotland and DWP are working together to transfer this benefit. Most eligible clients will receive this payment automatically.”
Your eligibility for Winter Heating Payment is assessed by Social Security Scotland. They look at:
Qualifying benefits for £50 Winter Heating Payment
Households on these benefits will be eligible, if they were in receipt of the benefit during the qualifying week:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support for Mortgage Interest
- Qualifying benefits and requirements
Full guidance is available on Scot.Gov here, below is a brief summary.
If you are on Universal Credit and not in employment
Guidance states that you will usually get the £50 Winter Heating Payment if you’re not employed or self-employed and also have one of the following:
- a limited capability for work element
- a limited capability for work element with a work related activity element
- a child or young person disability element
- the disability element of Child Tax Credit
- a child under five-years-old
If you are on Universal Credit and in employment
You should get the £50 Winter Heating Payment if you’re employed or self-employed and have one of the following:
If you are on Pension Credit
If you were receiving payments through Pension Credit during the qualifying week (November 7-13), you should receive the £50 Winter Heating Payment.
If you are on income based Jobseeker's Allowance or Income Support
You should get the £50 Winter Heating Payment if you get Income based Jobseeker's Allowance or Income Support and have any of the following:
- a disability premium
- a severe disability premium
- a pensioner premium
- the disability element of Child Tax Credit
- a child under five-years-old
Or receive child disability premium within:
- Income Support
- Income Based Job Seeker's Allowance
- Income Related Employment Support Allowance
You should get the £50 Winter Heating Payment if you receive Income Related Employment Support Allowance and have any of the following:
- placed in a support group or a work related activity group
- a severe or enhanced disability premium
- a pensioner premium
- the disability element of Child Tax Credit
- a child under five-years-old
If you are getting support for Mortgage Interest
You should get the £25 Winter Heating Payment if you receive Support for Mortgage Interest and have any of the following:
- a disability premium
- a pensioner premium
- a child disability premium
- a child under five-yeas-old
When you will get the payment
Payments for winter 2022 are expected to be made from February 2023. If you are eligible, you will receive a letter from Social Security Scotland before they make the payment.
Payments will appear in bank accounts with the code ‘WHP’ - Winter Heating Payment.
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Help with heating bills and cost of living over winter
If you are struggling to heat your home during the colder weather, contact your energy supplier to see what help is available.
You should also contact your local council to find out if you qualify for any additional financial help - the Scottish Government received £79m from the UK Government’s Household support Fund earlier this year and many local councils are offering extra help specifically for heating costs.
Find the website and contact details for your local council here.