Universal winter fuel payments for Scotland’s pensioners

Scotland is set to introduce universal winter fuel payments for pensioners. Will Labour follow their  lead in England?

Shirley-Anne Somerville, Scotland’s social justice secretary, has unveiled the ‘pension age heating payment’ – a new one-off, tax-free payment which will replace the current winter fuel payments in 2025.

The new Scottish benefit comes after Labour introduced new means-tested rules for winter fuel payments.

Once the Scottish scheme is in place, eligible pensioners will get between £200 and £300, based on their age. Those who don’t qualify for other benefits will receive a flat £100.

Many are wondering if this announcement will make Labour rethink the new winter fuel payment rules.

Payments cut for nearly one million pensioners

Chancellor Rachel Reeves says cutting the winter fuel payments for all but the poorest pensioners will tackle a £22bn shortfall left by the previous Conservative government.

A report from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which oversees benefits, says as many as 10 million pensioners have lost their payments due to these changes.

The backlash

Over 50,000 people have signed a petition asking for winter fuel payments to be reinstated for all pensioners.

Michael Brian Anderson, who started the petition, worries that “pensioners could die if MPs do not act, and that the NHS could face increased pressure.”

Despite calls for a change of heart, DWP says there are “no plans to reverse the means testing of the winter fuel payment”.

Instead, they’re focusing on making sure more pensioners claim pension credit.

Are you eligible for pension credit?

To qualify for Labour’s winter fuel payment, you need to have been born before 23 September 1958 and get one of the following benefits:

• pension credit
• universal credit
• income-related employment and support allowance
• income-based jobseeker's allowance
• income support
• child tax credit
• working tax credit

Delays and backdated payments

Since the announcement, DWP has received 150,000 applications for pension credit and has hired 500 more staff to help process these claims.

If you apply (or have already applied) before 21 December and meet the criteria, you’ll get backdated payments for both pension credit and the winter fuel allowance.

This could really help with those winter energy bills, so make sure you get your application in before the deadline.

We’ve also got lots of tips and tricks on our site to help you stay warm and keep heating costs down this winter.