Heating support for pensioners begins

First payments have been made.

Financial support to help pensioners heat their homes this winter has started to roll out across the country. 

Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will provide support to at least 880,000 pensioners to help with heating bills. 

The first payments have been processed and have started to land in accounts. Payments will continue to be made throughout the winter. 

Eligible people of State Pension age will get a payment between £101.70 and £305.10 depending on their circumstances. Most people will receive their payment automatically – no action is needed.  

Everyone who is eligible will receive a letter with details of their payment. 

For pensioners with a taxable income of over £35,000, the payment will be taken back through the tax system during 2026/27. 

We know that energy costs are too high, and that this will affect households across Scotland this winter.  

Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will provide vital support for thousands of older people to help heat their homes and manage costs throughout the colder months. 

People over the age of 66 don’t need to do anything – in the vast majority of cases, the payment will be made automatically to help towards a warmer winter.

– SOCIAL JUSTICE SECRETARY, SHIRLEY-ANNE SOMERVILLE

Background 

• The Scottish Fiscal Commission have forecast that around 1.055 million payments will be made in winter 2025-26, with the number of payments recovered estimated to be 169,000. Fiscal Update: August 2025  
• Pension Age Winter Heating Payment replaces Winter Fuel Payment in Scotland and will be delivered by Social Security Scotland.    

• Pensioners set to receive the payment will have been born on, or before, 21 September 1959 and living in Scotland during the qualifying week which is Monday 15 September to Sunday 21 September 2025.   
• How much people will get paid will depend on:  
           their age 
           the age of anyone they live with who is also eligible for Pension Age Winter Heating Payment
           if they receive certain benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as a joint award
           if they live in residential care  
• Social Security Scotland will send the payment to the same account as an individual’s State Pension, or any Social Security Scotland benefit received.   
• A small number of people will need  to apply, these include people who have deferred their state pension  or are a couple with a joint award for Pension Credit, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Income Support or Universal Credit and the main person getting that benefit is under State Pension age. Find out more on this at Pension Age Winter Heating Payment – mygov.scot   
• For pensioners with a taxable income of over £35,000, His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will take it back during 2026/27.   
• Find out more on Pension Age Winter Heating Payment at Pension Age Winter Heating Payment – mygov.scot   
• The public should beware of scams around winter heating payments. Social Security Scotland will not request any personal information to be shared via email or text message.