State pensioners in Scotland are being urged to look for a five-letter code on their bank statements from this month, as payments of up to £316.70 are due to land in accounts. The money comes from a Pension Age Winter Heating Payment, awarded to people born on or before June 27, 1960, who live in Scotland, to help pay heating bills this winter as the cold weather sets in.
Because the Scottish Government now has its own social security system, some benefits paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have been replaced with new benefits in Scotland. In this case, the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment is the replacement for the DWP’s Winter Fuel Payment, and it is worth between £105.55 and £316.70.
Who receives the payment and how to identify it
Around 879,000 pensioners in Scotland are expected to receive a Pension Age Winter Heating Payment this winter. Social Security Scotland, which issues the payments, said most pensioners will receive the payment automatically, and it can be identified by the payment reference ‘PAWHP’.
The amount depends on age in the qualifying week. Single pensioners born between September 28, 1946, and June 27, 1960, can expect to get £211.15, while single older pensioners born before September 28, 1946, can expect the maximum amount of £316.70.
Payment schedule and bank details
Social Security Scotland said: “Most eligible people will be paid automatically. Payments start from November 2026 and continue throughout winter. You’ll get a letter before you’re paid to tell you how much you’ll get.
“Your payment will go into the same bank account as your State Pension, or any Social Security Scotland benefits you get. You can identify the payment by the reference code on your bank statement. The code will include ‘PAWHP’. This stands for Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.”
Payments elsewhere in the UK and tax implications
Pensioners in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland who are due a Winter Fuel Payment will begin to receive it automatically from mid-November, with payments worth between £100 and £300. They can usually identify the payment by looking for the reference ‘DWP WFP’.
Pensioners with a total annual individual income of more than £35,000 will have their Winter Fuel Payment or Pension Age Winter Heating Payment taken back by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), in all parts of the UK. HMRC will usually collect the payment by changing the tax code, and those affected will be contacted by email or post, which means the tax deducted from wages, salary, or pension will increase.
