The one-off £50 payment has replaced the Cold Weather Payment in Scotland. The new payment is being administered by Social Security Scotland.
Eligible people are to receive a letter to notify them the payment is due to arrive, with the money set to land in people’s bank accounts over February and March.
Information on the Scottish Government website previously said the payments would arrive this month.
The new devolved payment replaces the Cold Weather Payment (CWP), a £25 payment that goes out to eligible people when temperatures are, or are forecasted to be, below zero across seven consecutive days.
The CWP scheme runs from November 2022 to March 2023, with some parts of the country receiving several payments.
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Some 415,000 people are set to receive the Winter Heating Payment with the payment to appear on statements with the reference code ‘WHP’.
The eligibility criteria for the payment are the same as for the CWP, and if a person previously received the payment and their circumstances are the same, they should get the new payment.
The new £50 Winter Heating Payment will go out to eligible people every year regardless of the 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.”
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These are the additional criteria a person will need to meet to get the payment.
Universal Credit
Claimants will usually get the £50 Winter Heating Payment if they’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.
Claimants who are employed or self-employed should get the payment if they have a child or young person disability element as part of their claim, or if they are on the disability element of Child Tax Credit.
Pension Credit
Those who were on the benefit during the qualifying week should receive the payment.
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income Support
Claimants should receive the payment if any of the following apply:
- A disability premium
- A severe disability premium
- A pensioner premium
- The disability element of Child Tax Credit
- A child under five.
Or if a person receives child disability premium within:
- Income Support
- Income Based Job Seeker’s Allowance
- Income Related Employment Support Allowance.
A person should get the payment if they 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.
Support for Mortgage Interest
An individual should get the £25 Winter Heating Payment if they 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.
