Financial support to help pensioners heat their homes this winter
has started to roll out across the country.
Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will provide support to at
least 880,000 pensioners to help with heating bills.
The first payments have been processed and have started to land
in accounts. Payments will continue to be made throughout the
winter.
Eligible people of State Pension age will get a payment between
£101.70 and £305.10 depending on their circumstances. Most people
will receive their payment automatically – no action is
needed.
Everyone who is eligible will receive a letter with details of
their payment.
For pensioners with a taxable income of over £35,000, the payment
will be taken back through the tax system during 2026/27.
Social Justice Secretary, said: “We know that
energy costs are too high, and that this will affect households
across Scotland this winter.
“Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will provide vital support
for thousands of older people to help heat their homes and manage
costs throughout the colder months.
“People over the age of 66 don't need to do anything – in the
vast majority of cases, the payment will be made automatically to
help towards a warmer winter.”
Background
- The Scottish Fiscal Commission have forecast that around
1.055 million payments will be made in winter 2025-26, with the
number of payments recovered estimated to be 169,000. Fiscal Update: August
2025
- Pension Age Winter Heating Payment replaces Winter Fuel
Payment in Scotland and will be delivered by Social Security
Scotland.
- Pensioners set to receive the payment will have been born on,
or before, 21 September 1959 and living in Scotland during the
qualifying week which is Monday 15 September to Sunday 21
September 2025.
- How much people will get paid will depend on:
their age
the age of anyone they live
with who is also eligible for Pension Age Winter Heating
Payment
if they receive certain
benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as a
joint award
if they live in residential
care
- Social Security Scotland will send the payment to the same
account as an individual's State Pension, or any Social Security
Scotland benefit received.
- A small number of people will need to apply, these include
people who have deferred their state pension or are a couple
with a joint award for Pension Credit, Income-based Jobseeker's
Allowance (JSA), Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
(ESA), Income Support or Universal Credit and the main person
getting that benefit is under State Pension age. Find out more on
this at Pension Age Winter
Heating Payment - mygov.scot
- For pensioners with a taxable income of over £35,000, His
Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will take it back during
2026/27.
- The public should beware of scams around winter heating
payments. Social Security Scotland will not request any personal
information to be shared via email or text message.
