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Who can get a winter heating payment 

You can get a winter heating payment if you live in Scotland and you are on a qualifying benefit on any day in the 'qualifying week', which is the week starting on the first Monday in November (4 to10 November in 2024).

What are qualifying benefits

To be entitled to a winter heating payment, you have to be on one of the following benefits during the qualifying week:

If you get pension credit, there are no further conditions to meet. If you are on one of the other benefits you must also satisfy some other conditions which relate to ill-health, disability or having a young child in your household. See the next paragraphs.

Universal credit

If you get universal credit and you are working, you must get the disabled child element to qualify.

If you get universal credit and you are not working, you qualify if any of the following applies:

  • you have a child under five;
  • you get the disabled child element
  • you have been assessed as having limited capability for work or work-related activity.

Income support and income-based jobseeker's allowance

If you get income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance, you qualify if any of the following applies:

  • you have a child under five
  • you get the disability element in child tax credit
  • you get any of the following premiums: disability premium, enhanced disability premium, severe disability premium, pensioner premium, child disability premium

Income-related employment and support allowance

If you get income-related employment and support allowance, you qualify if any of the following applies:

  • you have a child under five
  • you get the disability element in child tax credit
  • you are in the support group or the work-related activity group
  • you get any of the following premiums: enhanced disability premium, severe disability premium, pensioner premium

Loan for mortgage interest

If you get a loan for mortgage interest, you qualify if you have a child under five or if you get the disability premium, pensioner premium or child disability premium.

How much is a winter heating payment?

A winter heating payment is an annual payment of £58.75.

Claiming a winter heating payment

You do not have to make a claim for a winter heating payment. If you are eligible, it should be paid by Social Security Scotland automatically. It is normally paid in December or January. If you think you are entitled and you have not received a payment, you should contact Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222.

If you are unhappy with a decision about winter heating payment, you can challenge the decision.

More information

For in-depth information about winter heating payment, see chapter 78 of the Welfare benefits and tax credits handbook. You'll need a subscription to be able to log in and read the content.

Read the winter heating payment regulations on legislation.gov.uk.