Check if you qualify for £55 one-off winter heating payment due before next month
11.12.2023 - 08:13
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
December has seen snow, sleet, torrential rain and temperatures plunge below freezing across most parts of Scotland, which means winter is well and truly here. Nearly 700,000 people across Scotland recently received the £300 Autumn cost of living payment and many of those people in receipt of a means-tested benefit may also be due a one-off payment for £55.05 before the end of January.
According to Social Security Scotland, around 400,000 people will start to receive this year’s Winter Heating Payment from the middle of December, with the ‘vast majority’ of eligible households due the money before the end of January 2024. The payment of £55.05 will be made automatically and is designed to help people with higher energy costs during the colder months.
The devolved benefit is only available in Scotland and replaced the £25 Cold Weather Payment delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) last winter. Unlike the DWP benefit, it is not dependent on a sustained period of cold weather in a specific location but is an annual, one-off payment made no matter the temperature.
The majority of people eligible for Winter Heating Payment during the qualifying week of November 6-12, will receive it automatically, with no need to apply. It is paid through Social Security Scotland and people will receive a letter to let them know they are eligible before the payment is made.
Full details about the payment can be found on the MYGOV.SCOT website here. Below is an overview of the eligibility criteria for the payment and qualifying benefits.
Your eligibility for Winter Heating Payment is assessed by Social Security Scotland.
They look at:
Households on these benefits will be eligible, if they are in receipt of the benefit
The website celebfans.org is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can
send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.