Winter heating payments for pensioners, low-income households and families with disabled children will start landing in bank accounts from this week. The Scottish Government has confirmed the timetable for its three winter heating benefits, with an estimated 1.4 million payments set to be made across Scotland over the coming weeks.
The first payments will be Child Winter Heating Payment, which will start to be issued from the week beginning Monday, October 5. Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will then start from November, followed by Winter Heating Payment from December. For the majority of eligible people, the support will be paid automatically without the need to make an application.
Child Winter Heating Payment
Child Winter Heating Payment is worth £265.50 and supports households with disabled children and young people who have the highest care needs during the winter months. Payments for winter 2026/27 start from this week, with the first lump sums landing in bank accounts on October 5.
The Scottish Government estimates families of more than 48,000 disabled children and young people will receive the payment this winter. It is paid automatically to families of eligible children and young people under 19 who receive the highest levels of disability support.
Pension Age Winter Heating Payment
Pension Age Winter Heating Payment has replaced the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Winter Fuel Payment in Scotland. Eligible people can receive between £105.55 and £316.70, depending on their age and household circumstances, with payments beginning in November and continuing throughout the winter.
Most eligible pensioners will receive the payment automatically, although a small number of people will need to apply. The Scottish Government expects around 879,000 pensioners to benefit from the support.
The Scottish Fiscal Commission has forecast around 1.059 million payments will be made during winter 2026/27. Around 180,000 payments are expected to be recovered from pensioners with individual incomes above £35,000. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will recover the payment through the tax system for pensioners whose total individual income is above that threshold.
Winter Heating Payment
Low-income households could also receive the £62 Winter Heating Payment, with payments beginning from December. The Scottish Government estimates nearly 487,000 people will receive the payment this winter.
Winter Heating Payment is an annual payment for people receiving certain qualifying benefits. Unlike the Cold Weather Payment available elsewhere in the UK, entitlement does not depend on temperatures falling below a particular level. The Scottish payment is made to eligible households irrespective of how cold it gets outside.
For the majority of eligible people, all three winter heating benefits are paid automatically by Social Security Scotland with no need to apply.
Last winter, more than 1.57 million payments were issued across Child Winter Heating Payment, Winter Heating Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment, with more than 1.46 million people receiving at least one of the three benefits.
