All Scottish pensioners to get winter fuel payment
Minister confirms winter heating payment for pensioners
Every Scottish pensioner will receive a winter fuel payment next year, the government has announced.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville told the Scottish Parliament those in receipt of qualifying benefits like Pension Credit would get £200 or £300 depending on their age, while all other pensioners would get £100.
The funds will be paid through a new Holyrood benefit, which will not be ready until late 2025.
The UK government scrapped universal entitlement to winter fuel payments – which are set at either £200 or £300 – earlier this year, with only those on Pension Credit or other benefits eligible.
The Scottish government was due to take over responsibility for winter fuel payments in September – but the introduction of a new universal benefit north of the border was delayed after the UK government decision.
Somerville said the change to UK eligibility rules left it with a £150m shortfall, and it had no choice but to push its plans back until late 2025.
The change means an estimated 900,000 pensioners in Scotland are losing out on a fuel payment this winter.
‘Harsh reality’
Somerville told MSPs those Scots would by next winter be entitled to the newly-devolved pension age winter heating payment (PAWHP).
She said: “This universal benefit – providing much needed support not available anywhere else in the UK – will deliver support for all pensioner households as we had always intended to do before the UK government decision to means-test winter fuel payments cut the funding available to support our new benefit in Scotland this winter by £147 million.
“We will not abandon older people this winter or any winter.
“We will do our best to make sure no-one has to make a decision between heating and eating, and we will continue to protect pensioners”.
The social justice secretary also announced an extra £20m in welfare funding for councils in this financial year, as well as an additional £20m for the Warmer Homes Scotland Scheme.
There will be a further £1m for social landlords and the third sector for homelessness prevention work.
The government was accused by Scottish Conservative social security spokeswoman Liz Smith of “hoodwinking” pensioners by “pretending that they are bringing back the full winter fuel payment”.
She added: “Because that is simply not the case.”
Somerville’s statement has been viewed by some as an attempt to outmanoeuvre Scottish Labour, who have vowed to undo some of the cuts imposed by their Westminster colleagues.
Labour MSP Paul O’Kane highlighted that the £41m support package in this financial year is equal to an increase coming to the Scottish government as a result of UK government spending on the household support fund.
He also pointed to an increase of £3.4bn in next year’s Scottish Budget due to the chancellor’s autumn spending announcement.
Sir Keir Starmer has defended his government’s decision, saying an increase in the state pension – which is set to rise by £460 per year in April – will “outstrip” losses for those who will not receive the winter fuel payment.
However, the state pension increase will be spread over the year from next April, whereas the winter fuel payment is usually paid in November or December.
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