One-off payments of £265.50 are being paid to eligible UK households to help with heating bills this winter. The money is a Child Winter Heating Payment available to households in Scotland with disabled children and young people with the highest care needs during the winter months. This type of financial assistance is not available anywhere else in the UK, so if you’re based outside of Scotland, you cannot qualify for this payment.
The Scottish Government confirmed that Child Winter Heating Payments began rolling out to households from October 5 and payments will continue through the winter, with more than 480,000 families estimated to be eligible this year.
Payment Details and Eligibility
The payment, first introduced in 2020, is paid once a year from October onwards and, unlike Cold Weather Payments issued by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), is not dependent on how cold the weather is. The current payment is £265.50, and you’ll be eligible this year if you were in receipt of a qualifying benefit between September 21 and September 29.
According to the eligibility criteria set out by Social Security Scotland, who is issuing the payments, children and young people in Scotland can get the £265.50 payment if they’re under 19 years old and get one of the following:
- the highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment
- the highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance for children
- the enhanced daily living component of Personal Independence Payment
- the enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment
If more than one child or young person in the household qualifies, each will receive a payment. Eligible households don’t need to show receipts or proof of how the money is spent and you don’t need to apply for the payment as it will be issued automatically if you qualify. The payment will usually be paid into the same bank account as their Child Disability Payment, Disability Living Allowance for children, Personal Independence Payment or Adult Disability Payment.
Government Confirmation and Wider Support
Confirming the payments, the Scottish Government said: “Child Winter Heating Payment supports households with disabled children and young people who have the highest care needs in the winter months. This type of assistance is not available anywhere else in the UK. This year payments will start from week commencing October 5.”
The Scottish Government added: “Families of over 48,000 disabled children and young people are estimated to be supported with Child Winter Heating Payment in 2026/27. It is paid automatically to the families of children and young people under 19 who receive the highest levels of disability support. The payment for winter 2026/27 is £265.50.”
The Child Winter Heating Payment comes alongside other financial schemes to support households in Scotland this winter, including Winter Heating Payments and Pension Age Winter Heating Payments.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Over a million people are set to benefit from the Scottish Government’s package of winter heating support – which is stronger than anywhere else in the UK. With energy costs predicted to rise again, this could be a valuable lifeline for older people, families on low incomes, disabled children and young people. We are committed to treating people with the dignity, fairness and respect they deserve. Our approach supports those most in need. The Scottish Government will continue to ensure vulnerable people get the financial help they need this winter.”
