Nicola Sturgeon has refused to guarantee every eligible Scot will receive a new Winter Heating Payment this month.
The First Minister said the £50 payment would reach some people in March - a departure from an earlier commitment to February.
Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy asked whether the new benefit would have to be renamed the “Summer Heating Payment”.
The WHP, targeted at those on low income benefits with extra heating needs during the winter, could reach nearly half a million people.
The £50 is an automatic yearly sum and replaces the DWP’s Cold Weather Payment, which was dependent on cold temperatures.
Ministers were committed to February, but on condition the Department of Work and Pensions handed over data by January 31st.
Although this deadline was met, the devolved Social Security Scotland agency said the intention was for people to receive it this month “or next”.
Two Labour MSPs, Duncan-Glancy and Monica Lennon, quizzed Sturgeon at Holyrood about the delay.
Lennon said: “Can the First Minister guarantee that everyone who's due the Winter Heating Payment in Scotland will receive it this month?”
The First Minister responded: “Social Security Scotland is taking forward the rollout of benefits and, of course, it is always the priority to ensure that people get benefits to which they're entitled as quickly as possible.”
Duncan-Glancy asked whether the Government had failed to plan for the delivery of the payment and underestimated the time needed to execute the policy.
The Labour MSP said: “Will the winter heating payment end up being the Scottish summer payment, paid too late to keep people warm this winter?”
Sturgeon replied: “We did receive the data from the DWP and payments will be made to the 450,000 people eligible for the payments automatically over the course of February and March.”
Tory MSP Miles Briggs said: “Scots struggling with the cost-of-living crisis will be dismayed by further delays to receiving the winter heating payment.
“SNP-Green Ministers were warned by the Scottish Conservatives not to rush the new Winter Heating Payment system - they failed to listen.
“The result is now a failure to deliver vital ‘winter’ heating payment on time or even during the winter, and people living in many rural areas set to financially lose out.”
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