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Edinburgh Live

National

Linda Howard & Abbie Meehan

People on DWP benefits could be due more than £1,000 in heating bill help this winter

Department for Work and Pensions Scotland GovUK Disability

As the colder months roll in, many households in Scotland will be considering whether they should be cranking the heating up.

However, the recent rise in energy bills means that a lot of people may be reluctant to do so and cutting back on usage to save money. The Daily Record reports that many Scots may not be aware of four one-off payments created to help with heating payments between now and March.

These benefits are specifically aimed at helping with the cost of living throughout the winter, and don't include the UK Government's £400 energy rebate. The payments are for those on a low-income or certain benefits and worth more than £1,000.

Only one of these payments won't go directly to the claimant, as the £150 Warm Home Discount goes straight to your energy supplier, and is deducted from the energy bill. There are also two devolved payments, only available to people living in Scotland.

Listed below are all four payments, what they are, who qualifies for them and when to expect them. There’s also a reminder about the £2,500 Energy Price Guarantee and the £400 energy rebate to help you plan your budget this winter.

Four heating payments due this winter

The payments are as follows:

Winter Fuel Payment
Warm Home Discount
Child Winter Heating Assistance (Scotland only)
Winter Heating Payment (Scotland only)

Find out more about them here.

Winter Fuel Payment - up to £600

In 2022, this one-off cost of living payment aimed at pensioners is being added to the annual Winter Fuel Payments. Both are worth up to £300 each, meaning a total payment of £600.

These payments will begin to land in bank accounts by mid-November. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has said that these should arrive no later than January 13, 2023.

It is not taxable and does not affect eligibility for other benefits. The money is paid per household.

To be eligible for this payment, you must have:

been born on or before September 25, 1956
lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of 19 to 25 September 2022 - this is called the ‘qualifying week’.

You can find more information about the Winter Fuel Payment on GOV.UK here.

Warm Home Discount - £150

This scheme officially opens next month, but some energy suppliers are taking in applications now. It is a one-off discount paid to your supplier to deduct money from your energy bill between October 2022 and March 2023.

The list of energy suppliers participating in the winter 2022/23 Warm Home Discount scheme has not been updated on GOV.UK yet, but the £150 discount is normally automatically made to those on a low income or qualifying benefit.

Those living in Scotland will qualify if you either:

get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit - known as the ‘core group’
are on a low income and meet your energy supplier’s criteria for the scheme - known as the ‘broader group’

There is a dedicated page to the Warm Home Discount section on each energy suppliers website on GOV.UK here.

Child Winter Heating Assistance - £214

Child Winter Heating Assistance is an annual payment of £214 for youngsters in Scotland on disability benefits to help with increased costs over the colder months. This money is paid annually and the Scottish Government confirmed that the money paid in 2022 will be £214.10 per eligible person.

Children and young people in Scotland can get the heating assistance payment if they are under 19 years old and in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits between September 19 and September 25.

There is no specific payment date, but it has been confirmed that money will be paid by the end of November. You will qualify if you receive one of the following benefits:

Child Disability Payment - highest rate of the care component
Disability Living Allowance for children - highest rate of the care component
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - enhanced daily living component
Adult Disability Payment - enhanced rate of the daily living component

Find out more about Child Winter Heating Assistance here.

Winter Heating Payment - £50

The £50 Winter Heating Payment will replace Cold Weather Payments in Scotland and is a one-off lump sum due to be paid in February, 2023 to help with energy bills.

Households on the following benefits will qualify for this payment: