LABOUR have been urged to back the SNP’s plans for a replacement winter heating support scheme for pensioners.
Anas Sarwar’s MSPs should back plans for the new Pension Age Winter Heating Payment included in the upcoming Budget, the SNP said.
This week’s announcement lays a trap for Scottish Labour, who are almost certain to vote against the Budget, which would give the SNP the chance to accuse Labour of voting against the benefit three times.
Scottish Labour had attempted to seize the initiative by announcing they would introduce a replacement for the Winter Fuel Payment scrapped by their Westminster colleagues, if they formed a government after the 2026 Holyrood elections.
The SNP’s scheme would see those who were stripped of the benefit entitled to £100. Those who remained entitled to the Westminster benefit, such as those on pension credit, will get a payment of either £200 or £300.
SNP MSP George Adam (above) said the new benefit would be a “lifeline for Scotland’s pensioners after the disgraceful decision by the UK Labour Government to scrap the universal Winter Fuel Payment at a time of soaring energy prices”.
He added: “Scotland’s pensioners rightly feel betrayed by Labour for axing the Winter Fuel Payment.
“Those MSPs now have the opportunity to show that they support Scotland’s pensioners by voting in support of the new Pension Age Winter Heating Payment in next week’s Budget.
“The SNP will always put the interests of the people of Scotland first and will stand up for Scotland’s pensioners when Westminster governments fail to do so.”
Scottish Labour's social justice spokesperson Paul O’Kane said: “Scottish Labour supports an increase in winter fuel support but it will take more than one payment to paper over the cracks created by 17 years of SNP failure.
“Year after year SNP financial chaos and waste has hurt the worst off – this Budget must deliver a genuine change in direction.
“We need a comprehensive plan to tackle poverty across the board, as well as renewing our overstretched public services and kickstarting economic growth.
“The UK Labour government has make this kind of transformative budget possible by delivering record levels of funding for Scotland – the SNP must not squander the opportunity.”
The SNP challenged other opposition parties to back the new Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.
Liz Smith, the Tory social justice spokesperson, accused the SNP of having a "brass neck".
She said: "The desperate bid to talk up this payment as a full re-instatement of the Winter Fuel Payment simply won’t wash with pensioners who know they will have less assistance coming this winter. This new plan means a cut for many of them.
“The SNP clearly thinks it can take our pensioners for fools. They won’t forget that the SNP shamefully followed Labour’s lead in cutting winter fuel payment in the first place.”
Chris McEleny, the general secretary of the Alba Party, said: "Alba Party have always supported universal entitlement to a winter fuel payment. We supported it when the UK Labour Government axed it and we supported it when the SNP Scottish Government decided to axe it."
