If you have any questions, you can find out more from the UK Gov website or contact Social Security Scotland.
Winter Heating Payment
This is a payment from Social Security Scotland which you can put towards your energy bills. It is paid between December and February each year, and is £62.
You will automatically receive the payment if you receive any of these qualifying benefits during the qualifying week (Monday 2 to Sunday 8 November 2026):
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Income Support or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment Support Allowance
- Support for Mortgage Interest
If you did not automatically receive the payment when you think you should have, you can make a request using this form.
Find out more on the Scot Gov website.
Child Winter Heating Payment
This is a yearly payment in Scotland to help families with the increased heating costs associated with having a child with a severe disability.
The payment in winter 2026-7 is £265.50. You should receive it automatically for each child under age 19 who receives a qualifying benefit during the qualifying week (Monday 21 to Sunday 27 September 2026).
The qualifying benefits are the:
- Highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment
- Highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance for children
- Enhanced daily living component of Personal Independence Payment
- Enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment
Find out more on the Scot Gov website.
Pension Age Winter Heating Payment
This is a payment to help people in Scotland over State Pension age to pay their heating bills in winter.
It’s a one-off payment of between £105.55 and £316.70. You are eligible if:
- You were born on, or before, 27 June 1960
- You lived in Scotland on at least the last day of the qualifying week (Monday 21 to Sunday 27 September 2026)
- Your income is less than £35,000
You are not eligible if you live in residential care (a non-NHS care home) or received any of these benefits during the qualifying week:
- Pension Credit
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Universal Credit
Most eligible people will be paid automatically. You should receive a letter in November, to let you know about the payment.
You only need to apply if either of the following applies to you:
- You deferred your State Pension
- You 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
Use the online eligibility checker, or find out more and apply on the Scot Gov website.
Warm Home Discount
The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one-off £150 discount off your electricity bill.
If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill. The money is not paid to you.
In Scotland, there are two groups who are eligible: the core group and broader group.
Core group: No need to apply
- Your energy supplier is part of the scheme
- Your name (or your partner’s) is on the electricity bill
- You or your partner get:
- Pension Credit
- An extra amount of Universal Credit for yourself or your child due to a disability or health condition
- A disability premium or pensioner premium of income-related Employment Support Allowance
- A disability premium or pensioner premium and a Support for Mortgage Interest loan
- Or, if you or your partner have responsibility for a child under age 5 who normally lives with you, and you get:
- Universal Credit, if you are unemployed
- Income-related Employment Support Allowance
- A Support for Mortgage Interest loan
Broader group: Apply via your energy supplier
- Your energy supplier is part of the scheme
- You (or your partner) get certain means-tested benefits or tax credits
- Your name (or your partner’s) is on the electricity bill
Each supplier sets their own criteria but must include:
- Pension Age Disability payment
- Adult Disability payment
- Universal Credit
- Income support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Housing Benefit
Only a few suppliers are open for applications at the moment, with more expected towards the end of October.
Find out more on the UK Gov website.
