People over State Pension age in Scotland could receive up to £538.70 in additional support this winter through a combination of payments from the Scottish Government and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The support includes four cash payments and one paid directly to energy suppliers.
Most of these payments will not be issued until later this year, but they could be factored into household budgets now, especially as energy bills are expected to rise over the colder months due to higher usage and changes to Ofgem's price cap.
Who is eligible for the payments?
Pensioners with a Scottish postcode, born on or before June 27, 1960, with an annual income at or below £35,000, will receive either £211.15 or £316.70 from the Scottish Government this winter, depending on age and household living arrangements. This payment is known as the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment, which has replaced Winter Fuel Payments in Scotland.
Winter Fuel Payments are delivered by the DWP to pensioners in England and Wales only, with an income at or below £35,000. Payments of £200 for those aged between 66 and 79, or £300 for those aged 80 and over, will be issued automatically later this year to pensioners born before June 28, 1960.
Pensioners with an annual income of £35,000 or more will not be eligible for either payment. Those above the threshold will need to pay the money back through PAYE or a Self Assessment tax return, but there is also an option to opt out.
Financial help for pensioner households
Financial help available before March 31, 2027 includes:
- Winter Heating Payment (£62.00) - cash payment issued by the Scottish Government
- Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (£105.55, £211.15 and £316.70) - cash payment issued by the Scottish Government
- Winter Fuel Payment (£100 - £300) - cash payments issued by DWP to pensioners in England and Wales only
- Warm Home Discount (£150) - paid directly from DWP to energy providers and usually added as credit to the customer's electricity account
- DWP Christmas Bonus (£10) - issued by DWP
Someone aged between 66 and 79, living in Scotland, could potentially receive £283.15 from the three cash payments before the end of March 2027. This is made up of:
- £211.15 from the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment
- £62.00 from the Winter Heating Payment
- £10 DWP Christmas Bonus
Someone over 80 living in Scotland could potentially receive £388.70 from the three cash payments. When factoring in the £150 Warm Home Discount, this amounts to £538.70 in extra support.
Winter Heating Payment (£62.00) - Scotland only
Payments were issued in December last year and are expected to be around the same time in 2026. You may qualify for Winter Heating Payment automatically if you get one of these benefits:
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- Income Support or Income based Jobseeker's Allowance
- Income Related Employment Support Allowance
- Support for Mortgage Interest
The qualifying week for this year's payment will be in early November, typically the first full week. More details will be updated once released.
Pension Age Winter Heating Payment - up to £316.70
Eligible people over State Pension age living in Scotland will automatically receive a one-off heating payment of up to £316.70. To be eligible for the 2026 payment, you must have been born on or before June 27, 1960. During the qualifying week, from Monday September 21 to Sunday September 27, 2026, you must also have lived in Scotland on at least the last day of the qualifying week.
Winter 2026/27 payment rates:
- Pensioners in residential care - £105.55
- Single pensioners aged between 66 and 79 - £211.15
- Single pensioners aged 80 and over - £316.70
- Pensioner couples aged between 66 and 79 - £105.55 each
- Pensioner couples aged 80 and over - £158.35 each
You will not be eligible if you were in hospital getting free treatment for the whole qualifying week and the 52 weeks leading up to it, were in custody under a court sentence for the whole qualifying week, or need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave says you cannot claim public funds.
Winter Fuel Payments - between £200 and £300 (not Scotland)
The DWP has confirmed the 2026/27 Winter Fuel Payment will be issued automatically to those born before June 28, 1960 with an annual income at or below £35,000. Payments of £200 will be issued automatically to those aged between 66 and 79, while those aged 80 or over will receive £300.
Warm Home Discount - £150 paid to energy provider
The Warm Home Discount Scheme for winter 2026 to 2027 usually opens in October and will give people on certain benefits £150 off their electricity bill. The money is paid directly by the DWP to energy suppliers between October and March. Eligible households may also be able to get the discount off their gas bill instead if their supplier provides both gas and electricity.
If you're a credit customer, the £150 will be added to your electricity account. If you're on Pay As You Go or Prepayment, you'll be sent a voucher to top up your meter. Eligibility rules have changed this year to provide support to more households.
DWP Christmas Bonus - £10
The bonus is a one-off, tax-free £10 payment made to people in receipt of State Pension or those claiming certain other benefits during the qualifying week, usually the first full week of December. Nobody needs to apply for the extra £10 as it should automatically go into the account where you usually receive your State Pension or benefit payment.
Eligible benefits include Adult Disability Payment, Armed Forces Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance, Carer Support Payment, Child Disability Payment, Constant Attendance Allowance, Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate, Industrial Death Benefit, Mobility Supplement, Pension Age Disability Payment, Pension Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance, Severe Disablement Allowance, State Pension, Unemployability Supplement or Allowance, War Disablement Pension at State Pension age, War Widow's Pension, Widowed Mother's Allowance, Widowed Parent's Allowance, and Widow's Pension.
If you have not claimed your State Pension and are not entitled to one of the other qualifying benefits, you will not get a Christmas Bonus.
